Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Hunt
by SharkAttack719
Summary: The looming threat of Kronos is shadowed by a new threat, and though a smaller threat, a very dangerous threat: Atlas. What's even more, Percy runs into two very special demigods that play an important part in helping him fight off Kronos. And to ice the cake, plus putting the cherry on top, he learns an important lesson from a very unlikely source, changing him forever. COMPLETE.
1. Prologue

**Hey everyone,**

**Welcome to the third installment of my version of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. I hope you enjoy this story as about two hundred or so did the last two. I know most that did like my first story did not like my second story, and I am okay with that. For those who have stuck with it, I congratulate you. I know personally that I would rather see something different rather than what has happened in the real series, but since a hundred and fifty or so have followed my second story, I know that there are still quite a few people who have read it. In the past month, I realize a lot have been busy with AP exams so my view count has dropped, but do I care? No. Please, if you enjoy this story, follow it. If you have enjoyed my previous stories, hang on to this one. It's always better to have a smaller but better fan base than a large but weaker one.**

**But, I do know a few writers who have large fan bases that are really good writers. You have probably already read their stories, but why not put this in anyways. MaydayParade8123 is an excellent author. I think on her profile page she said she was working with another author on a collaboration project on another account. Check it out. TheLostRelic is also another excellent author. He is very philosophical, enjoys reading it, and writing. He seems to put himself down on his profile page, but I guarantee that you'll enjoy his stories. Anaklusmos14 is a pretty good author. I love that he's doing a "Reading the Books" with his own stories. I find that kind of amusing and at least when he goes back to get his files for the previous story he can reflect on how he's developed. HunterofArtemis32 is also another really good author. She hasn't updated much in the past month; however, I think her most popular story is "A Troubled Boy With Green Eyes." Re-read it if you have read it.**

**Anyways, thanks for the hundred and a little bit of you that stayed with me through this writing process and I hope to see you again in the future.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**

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**Prologue**

_Hello once again my fellow readers,_

_I have another message for you all. This will be a short message as there is a video that will be played for you...well, at least a miniature story that will be told to you that I had in a dream._

_Anyways, I need to tell you the back story for this story: the looming threat of Kronos is shadowed by a new threat, and though a smaller threat, a very dangerous threat: Atlas. What's even more, Percy runs into two special demigods that play an important part in helping him fight off Kronos. And to ice the cake, he learns an important lesson from an immortal._

_Yes, I know I just referred to myself in the third person, but that was the summary of the back story. In this story, the Titan Atlas is released from his burden of the sky. Once this happens, two demigods finally appear on my radar, and I go and attempt to help them. A turn of events shifts what was planned to happen and all goes awry._

_Should you choose to read this story, I must warn you, Rick Riordan's book based on my true story already tells you some of what is to happen. Should you choose to read this story, you may be disappointed in what reality is truly like. Should you choose to read this story...well, prepare for changes in not only the relationship between me and Thalia, but also a major shift in my behavior._

_Sincerely,_

_Perseus Jackson, son of Sally Jackson and Poseidon._

HORIZONTAL

"When will it happen, sir?" Ethan asked the Titan Lord.

He was in a dream, standing on the edge of the chasm that was Tartarus. He wouldn't fall into the dark abyss in reality, but he still felt fear in his bones. The cold chill that slid through his body as smoothly as a ghost gave him goosebumps that he could feel all over his skin. His heart thumped erratically, the fear he showed to the Titan Lord more than he'd ever felt toward any immortal deity before.

Normally, he looked calm and composed on the outside. He couldn't look weak in front of his troops, but Kronos changed all of that. He knew the Titan Lord possessed powers beyond imaginable. He could easily flick him off like he was a bug. Ethan felt that he was normally a leader, a radical, in fact. He was someone who wanted change. He detested the gods almost as much as Kronos did, which was an amazing feat. The only problem with that was that he disliked the Titans, to a certain extent. He was offered to be sacrificed so that the Titan Lord could rise up. At first, Ethan was reluctant. But then, he wanted to become someone who would be known after the war. He wanted to be a martyr. Surely someone who survives the chaos and destruction would remember him, right?

"Soon," Kronos' raspy voice replied. "My nephew better not fail, for if he does he will not be given another chance." Ethan heard the dark lord laugh. It echoed all around, sending more shivers up his spine.

"That is...good, my lord," Ethan said respectfully.

There was silence for a good minute before Kronos spoke again. "Ethan. I know you fear of the transformation process, but do not fray. You _will_ be a martyr after this war. Everyone on our side will know that you helped greatly, by being the one to help the king rise. You will be regarded as a god. And who knows, maybe Iapetus will allow you to be free from the Underworld. All spirits will roam free and everyone shall do what they please. Our world will be the next Golden Age. Remember that, Ethan."

"Yes, my lord," Ethan said again.

"Good, now wake up," Kronos urged. "Atlas will rise soon, and the manticore has done his duty. He has found the children of Hades in the state of Maine."

"You must be prepared," he continued. "For the rise of the Titans has now reached a galloping speed. Once and for all, we will defeat the Olympians and their children. We will shape the world in our colors, and rebuild Western Civilization the way it was supposed to be! What do you say, Ethan? Will you swear your oath on the River Styx that you will be regarded as a god in dying to help me rise?"

Ethan thought about it for a moment. He thought about all of the pros and cons. He thought about whether the oath meant that he would perish instantly the moment he broke it. He thought about what he would swear to and thought about his words carefully. If there was a chance that he could survive and tear the gods down as well, that would be the ideal solution for him.

"I swear upon the River Styx that I will serve the Titan Lord Kronos by giving up my mortal body for him when the time comes," Ethan swore. "I will give him my body, but not my soul," I added in with a whisper.

"Very good, Ethan," Kronos hissed. "Now...WAKE!"

And Ethan shot up in his bed, waking up from his nightmare.

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**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

**I also apologize for any grammatical errors in the chapter above.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	2. Endangered Satyrs and Complications

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

**I'm sorry to bother you about the poll, but I realized that people weren't realizing they could vote for two so I set up a survey for you to fill out. Go to my profile page to find it (survey monkey).**

**If this doesn't work, then go to the link that's on my profile page at the bottom of the Author Bio.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Περσεύς 1**

**Endangered Satyrs**

"_I walk a lonely road, the only the one that I have ever known_," Thalia sang as we were walking back from the supermarket. "_Don't know where it goes, but it's home to me and I walk alone_."

"You know, you're not that bad at singing, Thals," Luke commented. "Maybe it's just because you like Green Day so much."

"They're not the _only_ band I like." Thalia rolled her eyes. "Plus, there are a few other bands that I do like."

"Like what, Maroon 5?"

Thalia's face scrunched up, as if she'd just eaten a lemon and sniffed a skunk's butt. "I don't have anything against them, but their music is not my kind of style. I like bands like...My Chemical Romance, or some of Linkin Park's stuff. Not all of it though. Their newer stuff is turning into those kinds of electronic instrument bullshit."

"I think it sounds okay," I shrugged.

"And this is where we can't trust Percy."

"Hey! I'm just putting out my honest opinion."

"And does it matter?"

"_America's a free country. I got my own rights_," I said in mock-southern accent.

"Dude, that isn't funny," Luke said. Still, he was chuckling. "You could offend someone if they know that stereotype and are from the southern states. You don't want to get stupid mortals on your bad side. Those frickin' FBI." Luke shook his head like the heavily armed United States force was a bad thing.

Annabeth slapped Luke on the arm. "Don't even think about it," she chided. "Stealing isn't something you should be doing very often...maybe in school, but that's it."

"_America's a free country. I got my own rights_," he imitated exactly like how I did it.

Thalia and I snickered a little. Annabeth just gave him a look of exasperation. Luke laughed and put his arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, babe. You've got nothing to worry about. I would take the blame for anything to keep you safe anyways."

"You're so cheesy," she said, looking up into his eyes. They stopped walking for a second and pecked each other on the lips. I couldn't help but smile happily for them. I was just that kind of person. I glanced at Thalia to see her reaction to their intimacy...not the sexual kind, but the way they seemed so tightly bonded. It was as if the Fates had taken their two strings and permanently tied them together.

Her reaction was the exact same as mine, she looked happy, but there was that slight disappointment. I knew exactly what she was thinking. We had never come to a closure about deciding our own relationship. We let it pass smoothly. I knew she said she liked me, but for all I knew, she could still harbor feelings for Luke. Then there was me. I wasn't completely sure whether I liked her, I mean, I felt something towards her, like a slight crush, but I couldn't be sure whether I liked _her_ and _her_ only. Maybe I would fall in love with someone else.

But I pushed the thoughts out of my head. This winter break was meant to be full of fun and good health. I rather enjoyed the school year so far. The teachers at MS-41 weren't all that bad. Plus, even though the school was boarding, I was allowed to go back to the apartment every day because I was so close to the school. Chiron helped me with that. Thalia, Luke and Annabeth also went to MS-41 with me.

It was a little unfortunate that Luke and Annabeth were in different grades; however, Thalia and I were in almost every single class together. Even with Annabeth's "geniusness" she couldn't get into our grade. I think the teachers just didn't want to feel like a thirteen year old girl could outsmart them by at least Denver. Don't get it? Denver is the Mile-High city.

Everything was great outside of school as well. During this period of time during November we were allowed to get a mid-term break. How the terms worked at this school were a little weird. There were only two, but there were mid-term reports to see where the student was at at that point.

Anyway, during mid-term break I received a call from Annabeth's father. Somehow he'd managed to find out the phone number of the house and asked for Annabeth to be put on the phone. This happened for three of the five days of mid-term break. Annabeth's dad would call and talk to Annabeth. At the end of the three days, though, Annabeth still refused to go back to Virginia to live with her father and stepmother. Even though his attempt failed, Dr. Chase invited me, and me only, to come to Virginia to learn about a cool new technological invention he was looking into. Apparently, I was mentioned a lot in the Chase household and was portrayed as a fierce warrior. Dr. Chase said he wanted to show me a new way of taking out monsters.

So, intrigued by the offer, I went. It was actually very interesting. The idea was fairly simple: a celestial bronze bullet. There wasn't enough celestial bronze at camp to mass produce it, but Dr. Chase said it could come in handy to replace a bow. When I asked why, he replied that a bullet travels much faster than a bow and if the shooter is accurate, shots can be fired much quicker than a bow, unless the bowman (or bow-woman) is very experienced. That way, it can be used as a distraction, or if a swordsman is used as a distraction, the gunman can fire the fatal shots.

When it came time to go back to New York, I brought back a sample of a bullet and a couple photocopied blueprints. It was a good thing celestial bronze couldn't be detected by metal detectors. Then, when I got back to New York, the first thing I did was head back to the apartment to study the blueprints.

Unfortunately, they were written in English. I decided that I would get Chiron to read them when I could head back to camp. The next month passed quickly and here we were, on winter break.

I hoped that we could go out and do some fun things, like head to a New York Rangers game or a Knicks game. I preferred basketball over hockey because honestly...I couldn't skate. I liked basketball more than hockey. A fact was a fact. The only problem with that was to get Thalia and Annabeth interested. Once I realized that would never happen, I looked out for things that were going to happen that _they_ might like.

Then one day, Thalia came to the apartment talking about a Green Day concert that was going to happen just after Christmas, on the 29th of December. She sounded excited. Apparently the ticket prices were only like $50 or something. They were actually really cheap. The only problem was that we didn't earn any money. I was pretty sure that we had enough stored cash to be able to pay for the concert tickets. We did community service and helped neighbors for money and earned a reasonably good amount of money for the shittiest jobs ever. That was good enough to pay for our food.

So, I decided looking out for opportunities to get concert tickets for us.

It was mid-December when the radio station announced that they were having a contest to earn Green Day tickets to the concert at the Garden. I entered the contest, not bothering about the fact that I had to be eighteen and up to play, and won. When the radio station people wouldn't give it to me...well, let's just say they won't be _talking_ on the radio for a little while.

"Yes, we get that Luke is cheesy," I said. "Now, can we get home before the cheese and meat goes bad?"

"Thanks, Percy," Luke said. "You love ruining our fun, don't you?"

"No, seriously. It's actually quite a long walk to the supermarket. Don't make us have to go again and mug someone for the money. We've already built enough trust with those policemen. Helping old ladies does reward you, man."

"Whatever you say." Luke sighed. "Hey, Annabeth. Do you have your cell phone? I really need to call someone. It's an emergency."

"Who?"

"The taxi with the guy that we always get on for free," he said. "I love the guy, plus we need a ride home."

"Luke."

"What?"

"We're like five blocks away. We don't need a frickin' taxi to get home. Plus, we can take the elevator up. If you ever get tired, you can just hurry up, lug the food to the kitchen and flop on the couch all you want. We have all of those luxury resources. I'm so glad Chiron taught me how to control the Mist."

"Yeah, that isn't fair," Thalia interjected. "Why do _you_ get to learn that, but all I learn about is how to not be selfish and rude."

"I don't know," I replied. "Maybe it's because I'm the prophecy child and you're just the—"

_Crash!_

At the intersection, just a few feet away from us, two cars collided. I saw a huge dent in one of the cars. The other one was not damaged too badly. That's when things began to get a little ugly.

Both drivers got out of the car. The one who was driving the heavily damaged car glared at the other guy with such malice and malevolence that he almost seemed to be visibly seething. He began cursing at Guy Number Two with such variety that I was sure I learned at least five or six new curse words in my first language. He strung them together, somehow, and managed to make the other guy angry. Guy Number Two glared fiercely at Guy Number One and began stringing together his own collection of curse words. They fought back and forth verbally for a least half a minute.

Soon, pedestrians began to stop and watch. It was a stupid decision.

Punches soon began to land on the two drivers. An innocent woman tried stepping in to break the fight, but Guy Number One knocked her out with one blow to the side of her head. A bunch of the adult mortals cried out in animosity. A couple men went up to the woman to drag her away from the fight. Then they went up to the fighting drivers and threatened to call the cops on them. Then, to show the true colors of crime in New York City, another car drove by. A window went down and a gun was fired. It hit Guy Number Two in the chest and he collapsed dead within a millisecond.

"That's what you get when you mess with us!" a deep male voice boomed out of the car window, before the driver sped off.

I looked at my friends panicked. I heard many bystanders crying out in fear, and some were beginning to call the police.

"Should we just leave before the police arrive?" Luke asked.

"I don't know about you guys, but that sounds like a good idea to me," Annabeth agreed.

I shared a look with Thalia. Her eyes said to leave, but she didn't speak. I turned to Luke and Annabeth. "Actually, I was hoping for some fun."

"Fun? You call chasing after criminals fun? We're about to fight a war and you—"

He didn't get to finish. I ran up to the nearest motorbike (there are actually more of these in New York than you'd think) and hotwired it. I didn't put on a helmet and immediately sped off in the direction of the criminals. I continuously got faster and faster until I reached speeds my mother would scream if she saw. I tried not to think about the sad parts about my mother, but more of the humorous and lighter side.

I caught sight of the vehicle and the distant sounds of police cars. The car was one of those sedans where the back window led straight to the back seat without having to go through the trunk. I could see three people inside the vehicle talking and laughing, as if killing someone was normal to them. That lit the fire of my anger. I didn't care what kind of business someone entered. Killing them just because they scam you isn't right. Deal with what happens to you instead of being such a baby.

"Man, I wish I listen to my own advice," I said, referring to the betrayal of Ethan. See, now there was a difference. I hated being betrayed and felt that it was my duty to eliminate anyone who decides to backstab me. They have the slimmest chance of being forgiven.

In any case, I sped up, weaving through cars before I came up on the back side of the speeding car. I could hear police sirens getting louder and louder. I knew my pen would eventually come back to me, so to test how weak the glass was I threw my pen at it. A small crack appeared.

"Come on," I said. "Come on." I was getting closer to the car.

I leaned forward on the motorbike and when I deemed the distance right, I jumped and smashed through the back window. Glass shattered all around me and I swear I probably got a lot of cuts, but the good thing was that the criminals were temporarily stunned. Quickly, I knocked the third guy out, who was sitting in the back seat. Then I grabbed the heads of the other two guys and smashed them together multiple times. Before long, they were both bloody and unconscious. I squeezed up to the front and hit the brakes so that the police cars could catch up and take the murderers away.

It was only a minute before the cops arrived, and the first thing the policemen said was:

"Did you knock all of those unconscious people unconscious, by yourself?"

I grinned.

* * *

"You frickin' scared me there, Perce," Thalia said when I was let back to my apartment. I spent a long day at the police station telling the cops about what I'd seen and what had happened. Apparently, the guy who was shot was a former policeman who was blackmailed by gang members and had to be kicked out of the police force. He was involved in a recent drug deal in which he leaked information to the cops, but unfortunately his life was taken when the other gang found out.

The three members I took out were low class members of a Brooklyn gang that was involved in the deal. The first guy, who was crashed into by the former policeman was charged with aggravated assault, saying that if the former policeman hadn't been killed, he would have been charged with assault as well.

The low class members of the Brooklyn gang were proven guilty of first degree murder. One gang member begged for mercy, but no one would have it. They were all young, twenty-five at the most. But I felt no pity for them. Learning that this was all planned with intention made me grow an even bigger distaste for them.

"Next time maybe you could listen to us and not go out there," Thalia continued.

I shrugged and smiled wearily. "Well, I do what I gotta do. I'm not a criminal, Thalia. If I were a mortal, I'd probably join the police force. Besides, you can't blame me for not wanting some fighting action. I was totally getting used to kicking your butt in the sword fighting arena. You know, you have to admit, Clarisse is getting better every single time."

"Sure, I guess," Thalia shrugged. She smiled. "Let's get dinner ready. And then we can rock out to Green Day."

I laughed as we walked out to the balcony where Luke and Annabeth were. "What's up, Luke? Annabeth? Not making out too fiercely, right? Don't want you two to get hurt now do we?"

They both blushed a light pink. "No," Luke waved it off. "We're not making out at all. We're not that kind of couple."

Thalia gave him a pointed look. "When Percy was gone, you two were kissing like it was the last day of your life."

They blushed even brighter. I raised an eyebrow at them but directed my question at Thalia. "Really? They were kissing like it was the last day of their lives? Like actually really...passionately...and—"

"Oh yeah," Thalia nodded.

I snorted at that. I could picture it my head because Luke and Annabeth did kiss quite a bit. "Well," stammered a blushing Luke, "at least we've kissed somebody. You know what the mortal teenagers say: you haven't lived till you've kissed someone."

I pursed my lips in thought. "I thought it was, _You haven't lived until you fu_—"

"No!" exclaimed Luke. "I modified it! We're too young for that."

"True," I admitted. "But actually...I have kissed someone. It was kind of an accident." I sheepishly rubbed the back of my neck.

"Okay, come on, you guys," said Annabeth. "You two like each other. It's totally obvious. Ugh, I'm turning into Silena more and more everyday...not that it's necessarily a bad thing."

"Not necessarily," Thalia replied. "Just because we have feelings doesn't mean we're the only match for the other."

"Sometimes you have a crush on someone to...move on from another who is taken or has left you, you know," I said, pointedly looking at Thalia. "Just because you feel something for another doesn't mean it's for the right reasons."

Thalia nodded admitting to her fault. I was sure she knew that pretty well, but so that she was sure, I reminded her. Like I said, I wasn't trying to run away from her. In my own way, I liked her too, but she might not have liked me if Luke didn't start dating Annabeth.

"Wise words," Annabeth nodded. Then she glanced at Luke and looked down. "Wise words," she repeated.

Luke pursed his lips in thought. "Yeah. That is totally true."

"Anyway, Luke, you wanna play Smite?" I asked.

He was shaken out of his thoughts and grinned. "Oh, yeah. I call being Hades. Maybe in real life he's kind of an asshole, but in Smite...he's a beast."

"Whatever, Luke," I replied. "You know who I'm going to be."

"I want to talk with Thalia for a minute," said Annabeth. "Is it okay that we can't be bothered until I'm done talking? It's kind of a female thing."

"Yeah, sure," Luke said. "Just...never mind."

Annabeth smiled tenderly. "Thanks, Luke. Come on, Thals. I really need to talk to you about something." The she hauled Thalia into the living room, through the dining room and down the hallway to our bedrooms.

I looked at Luke. "Get your computer. I wanna get started as soon as possible."

We quickly got set up for the game and began as quickly as we could.

Smite was an interesting game. The only reason we played it was because of the Greek gods in there. We just wanted to see how the mortals portrayed the gods as. To be honest, the game was pretty balanced; anyone could beat anyone in the game.

As we were playing, Luke asked, "Hey, Percy. Did you really mean what you said earlier? You know, about liking someone to get over another who has moved on or been taken? Was that true?"

"Yeah," I replied. The topic was a little touchy, but I was comfortable enough to talk about it with close friends. "I mean, sure Thalia's really pretty and her personality is soft and gentle once you really get to know her; but I can't be sure that I like her for the right reasons. Am I getting over a past crush? And yes, I admit I did like someone before Thalia. Then there's Thalia herself. She admits she has a crush on me, or is maybe in love with me, but is it just because she's trying to get over you? I told her that she could find someone who had similar qualities to you. I'm not sure why she picked me, but in either case, I would have noticed that maybe her new crush was someone who would replace Luke in her eyes. It's complicated for me. At least you and Annabeth are okay, right?"

"I—" Luke cut himself off. "Yeah...we're okay."

I looked up from my screen. "You don't sound so sure about it."

"It's all right, Percy. We're fine together. What's not to like about Annabeth, right?" He grinned. It never reached his eyes.

"Yeah, sure."

We spent the next ten minutes playing Smite before Annabeth and Thalia came back down the hallway in pajamas. Annabeth just had a cotton set with books and "intellectual" stuff all over it. It kind of reminded me of a walking library. Never mind, Annabeth _was_ a walking library. She sprouted boring facts a lot which annoyed me since some stuff I already knew and some stuff was extraneous. Thalia, meanwhile, wore a Green Day t-shirt and shorts. Don't consider me a pervert, but I wondered if she wore boys' boxers or girls' underwear (like, lingerie).

"You talk about what you needed to talk about, Ms. Dictionary?" I asked.

She stuck her tongue out at me. "You're just jealous that you're too dumb to know anything useful."

I glared at the daughter of Athena. "You know I hate being called dumb."

She snorted. "Whatever, Seaweed Brain."

I sighed. "Must you call me Seaweed Brain? I'm actually decent. My grades have never dropped below a D+."

Annabeth blinked. "My grades have never dropped below an A-."

"Well...that's because you inherited your mom's ingenuity."

"So you admit Athena is extremely wise and intelligent?"

"Uh, Annabeth. I'm not dumb."

"Okay, whatever you say." She put her hands up in a motion of surrender. "Anyways, you guys. Do you want to do anything? Is there really anything we can do?"

"Well," said Luke, "I could have gotten Chiron's car and driven it because I have a driver's license, perks of being sixteen, but you guys already changed so that plan is cut. Well, is there any news from camp? Any Iris-messages lately?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"Hm, how about dreams? Want to discuss dreams?"

Suddenly, I got this pounding headache. Groaning, I clutched my forehead. Something inside my head pounded, as if a hammer was trying to hammer a nail into my brain. For what reason, I don't know. All I knew at the time was that my head hurt. I didn't even notice my friends trying to help me. After what felt like hours of agonizing pain, a burst of emotions broke through and forced me backwards. There were emotions of fear and panic. I wasn't sure exactly what was happening, but my eyes closed and I could see another vision.

When the hazy vision cleared up, the silhouette of a person appeared before details kicked in and I saw a satyr. It was Grover.

"Grover?" I asked. I wasn't sure if my other friends could hear me or not, but I sure as hell knew my best goat friend did.

"Percyyy!" he bleated. "Thank the gods! I've been trying to contact you for hours. I need your help at the school I'm at. Please come quick. I can't talk to you for much longer. I'm in Maine, at a school called Westover Hall. I've found demigods here and they're in severe danger. Help!"

"Wait, did you say _demigods_, as in plural?"

But Grover didn't answer my question. "Hurry!" he called before the vision dissolved and I was thrown back into the regular world.

"He's all right, Luke!" Annabeth called. "He was just having some sort of vision." She turned to look at me. "You _were_ having a vision, right? You had trails of smoke coming off of your skin, but it quickly dissolved. What happened?"

I clutched my head again. "Trails of smoke? It was only an empathy link."

"Empathy link?" asked Thalia.

Then Luke burst into the room. "Dude, oh my gods, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It was just an empathy link."

"An empathy link?" he asked confused.

Annabeth shook her head while grinning. "Classic Luke and Thalia. An empathy link is telepathic contact from a satyr to another person from a great distance apart, usually used through dreams. And if I'm correct, the satyr is Grover."

I nodded.

"Great," she smiled. "Now, what did he want?"

I breathed in as much air as I could. It was almost as if the conversation with Grover had taken up a lot of oxygen in my lungs making it hard for me to recoup. "He said...they were in trouble. He's in Maine...Westover Hall. Demigods, plural. We need to get there soon, he said. Tomorrow. We leave first thing tomorrow."

I breathed in heavily again.

Thalia, Luke and Annabeth stared at me, taking in all of the information. Thalia was the first to recover. "Okay, then. It seems as though we're going to need a lot of rest. Maine is like eight hours from here."

"Yeah," said Annabeth, who was the next to recover. "Thalia's right. We need a lot of sleep to recoup our energy. I'm going to go to bed. Good night, Thals." She hugged the daughter of Zeus. "Good night, Perce. Good night, Luke." She pecked a reluctant kiss on his cheek.

"Goodnight, Annie," Luke replied. "Well, see you guys tomorrow." He trudged off to his bedroom slowly.

I turned to Thalia. "Well, good night, Lightning Freak."

"See ya, Kelp for Brains," Thalia said grinning.

"That isn't funny," I said with gritted teeth. "I've told so many people so many times that I'm not dumb, but just slow. For goodness sake!"

"Jeez, someone has anger issues."

I growled and stepped closer to Thalia. She challenged me. "Bring it, Waterboy."

"For the sake of the well-being of the house, I'm not going to fight you in here," I said. "But stop making fun of me. Sometimes there's a line that you can't cross, and you've crossed it."

"Well, I'm sorry," she said in a sarcastic voice. "Let me make it up to you by baking you a cupcake, putting a heart on top of it and giving me to you all night for whatever. I'll be just like those sluts from school. You want me to?"

I glared at her. "Whatever, Grace."

Her eyes flashed dangerously. "_Don't call me Grace._"

"_Well, I'm sorry_," I mimicked. She glared at me furiously. It was an intense stare down.

"Maybe you should find a good time to shut your mouth," she snarled.

"Maybe you should find a good time to shut your own mouth. You're the one who started this entire freaking argument. If anyone is to blame, it's you."

"Oh yeah, always blame the girl. Maybe if you weren't so sexist then we'd be further along in our relationship."

"What if I don't _want_ to date you," I retorted. "Maybe I _do_ like Annabeth more than you. I should just go and take her from Luke and send him back crawling to you. Then maybe you'll become a better person than you are now."

Electricity cracked from her fingertips. "_I dare you to say it one more time._"

"_I. Don't. Like. You._" I looked her dead in the eye. It kinda hurt to say that, but I was angry and relentless.

Thalia tried to keep her angry expression on, but the exact same look in her eyes came back from the previous end to summer. She was hurt again, no doubt. This time, I was too angry to realize that I was hurting her some more. "I don't like you, and I doubt I ever will. Maybe science is right, like charges repel. We're like charges. We repel."

"Mathematics has been around much longer than modern science," Thalia countered, seemingly unknowingly trying to keep me liking her. "A positive times and positive is a positive. A positive times and negative is a negative. A negative times a negative is a positive. Like integers come out positively."

"You know what?" I said bitterly. "You can take your stupid mathematics and kiss its ass. I don't give a crap. I can show you that you mean nothing more than a friend to me." I grabbed her roughly and kissed her.

I pulled away a little light-headed. "See? Nothing."

She was still glaring at me. I could see all of her frustration mounting up, and all of her hurt blowing out of her eyes like lava out of a volcano. "Well...I didn't feel anything either. That makes the two of us."

Frustrated, I stormed down the hall, went into my room and slammed the door as loud as I could. I nearly broke it off of its hinges, but I didn't care. I lay down on my bed and stared up to the ceiling. The hurtful words of the argument came crashing down on me like boulders and the feeling I got in my stomach was something I never thought I'd think myself of.

I didn't do anything to help myself, but I knew very well what I had just exemplified. I was as careless and heartless as the rest of the men. I was straying off course from what I strived to be. My stupid pride and arrogance cost me. No one could ever say they didn't have a pride of some sort. Why couldn't I get used to people calling me stupid? My grades were crap anyways.

I groaned again and shut my eyes, trying to forget about the hurtful words I said to Thalia. I did like her. Math was right. I couldn't deny it. At least, now that I could think clearly enough again I couldn't deny it. I messed everything up again. This time I had a feeling a lot more work needed to be done to fix this mess. Thalia would never forgive me for this offense.

"Great, thanks Grover," I accused randomly. "As soon as you contact us..."

I flipped over and put my face in my pillow. "Oh who am I kidding? It was my fault."

There was one thing too. The kiss, the one that should've symbolized I didn't feeling anything towards Thalia. Well, that was a lie. I did feel something, a feeling of hope and warmth, as if Hestia was guiding us.

And that was the part that scared me.

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

**I also apologize for any grammatical errors in the chapter above.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	3. I Find Some Old Friends

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

**I'm sorry to bother you about the poll, but I realized that people weren't realizing they could vote for two so I set up a survey for you to fill out. Go to my profile page to find it (survey monkey).**

**If this doesn't work, then go to the link that's on my profile page at the bottom of the Author Bio.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Περσεύς 2**

**I Find Some Old Friends**

The next day was awkward.

Thalia seemed to avoid me, but always hesitated to. The whole idea of her hesitating to hate me confused me. Shouldn't she hate me for what I said to her? She ignored me for the most part, though when she spoke to me it was in a cold, harsh voice I hadn't heard her use in a long time.

That's why it was a good thing that I was sitting next to her in the eight-hour drive to Bar Harbor, Maine.

If you didn't catch my sarcasm, wait until you hear what happened during the car ride: absolutely nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero. Nothin'. All Thalia would do was to stare out of the window at the snow and sleet that pounded us the entire way. We were in a sedan, a cheap Toyota, but Luke didn't mind. He said it reminded him of a family car and that hopefully one day he could start one. He didn't really specify who he wanted to start his family with, but unlike what I'd thought, he didn't give an obvious hint that he wanted Annabeth to.

Ever since my comment yesterday, their relationship seemed to have a small bump on the road to happiness. I realized that I made them feel bad by saying Thalia only liked me to move on from Luke. Maybe that's how Luke felt about Annabeth and Thalia, but I couldn't be sure.

I watched Thalia as she stared out the window. There was so much that I wish I could apologize for, but I knew when I opened my mouth only negativity would spill. I watched as her now icy blue eyes trail the snow down as it fell, as if she were planning to murder it. She bobbed her head slightly to the Green Day songs that were being played, her lips forming words without sound. She looked rather like her old self, other than the harshness she displayed to me. This was who Thalia was, and I had ruined it by telling Thalia and Luke that Annabeth liked Luke in the first place. Everything came back to me.

Thalia did talk a bit in the trip, answering questions that Annabeth and Luke had for her. It was the same for me, since it was a rather long and boring trip.

By the time we got to Westover Hall, it was getting dark.

Thalia wiped the fog off the car window and peered outside. "Oh, yeah. This'll be fun."

Westover Hall looked like an evil knight's castle. It was all black stone, with towers and slit windows and a big set of wooden double doors. It stood on a snowy cliff overlooking this big frosty forest on one side and the grey churning ocean on the other.

"Looks like some place Hades would love," I said, looking out the window with her.

"Yeah," she agreed. I froze thinking that she thought she would have made a mistake and taken it out on me, but she just sat there staring out the window.

"Here we are," Luke said. "Now, to get rid of this car. Man, I hope the car insurance guy gives me the money for another car. Hey, where should I park?"

"Over there, at the side of the building," suggested Annabeth as she pointed at an empty spot on the south facing side of the boarding school.

"Eh, sure, why not?"

Luke pulled over to the side of the building and stopped. He pulled out the keys for the car and stepped out. We all followed his example.

As soon as I stepped out into the open air, the wind blew through my jacket like ice daggers. I shook my head as a chill ran up my spine.

"Okay," Luke said. "Should I keep the keys or not?"

"Keep the keys," said Annabeth. "It's proof that someone probably stole your car or that it was taken by a tow truck. At least you have something to go into the car insurance place with. Trust me, it's a smart idea."

"A smart idea by a smart young lady," Luke praised. "You're probably right." He stuffed the keys into his right pant pocket. "Well, let's get inside," he said.

"Yeah, Grover will be waiting," Annabeth said.

Thalia looked at the castle and shivered. "You're right. I wonder what he found here that made him send the distress call."

I stared up at the dark towers of Westover Hall. "Nothing good," I guessed.

The oak doors groaned open, and the four of us stepped into the entry hall in a swirl of snow.

All I could say was, "Is this a shrine to Ares or something?"

The place was huge. The walls were lined with battle flags and weapon displays: antique rifles, battle axes, and a bunch of other stuff. I mean, I knew Westover was a military school and all, but the decorations seemed like overkill. Literally.

My hand went to my pocket, where I kept my lethal ballpoint pen, Riptide. I could already sense something wrong in this place. Something dangerous. Thalia was rubbing her silver bracelet, her favorite magic item. Luke had his hand at his neck, ready to activate his sword. I knew we were thinking the same thing. A fight was coming.

Annabeth started to say, "I wonder where—"

The doors slammed shut behind us.

"Oo-kay," I mumbled. "Guess we'll stay awhile."

I could hear music echoing from the other end of the hall. It sounded like dance music.

We stashed our overnight bags behind a pillar and started down the hall. We hadn't gone very far when I heard footsteps on the stone floor, and a man and woman marched out of the shadows to intercept us.

They both had short gray hair and black military-style uniforms with red trim. The woman had a wispy mustache, and the guy was clean-shaven, which seemed kind of backward to me.

They both walked stiffly, like they had broomsticks taped to their spines.

"Well?" the woman demanded. "What are you doing here?"

"Um..." I looked at my companions. I realized we hadn't really planned on how we would get _in_ to the party. We were only focusing on what Grover had told us. There were apparently two demigods that we needed to rescue. I locked eyes with Annabeth. I urged her to make up an excuse.

"Well, ma'am. Uh, you see—" she started.

"Ha!" the man snapped, which made me jump. "Visitors are not allowed at the dance! You shall be eee-jected!"

He had an accent—French, maybe. He pronounced his J like in Jacques, He was tall, with a hawkish face. His nostrils flared when he spoke, which made it really hard not to stare up his nose, and his eyes were two different colors—one brown, one blue—like an alley cat's.

I figured that he was going to toss us in the snow when I met Thalia's eyes. _Use the Mist_, she mouthed. I glanced at Annabeth. She was nodding, as if she saw Thalia's message. So, I took a deep breath and stepped forward. I raised my right hand and concentrated on the Mist, a powerful, magical force that obscured the Greek world from the mortal world. I focused on the energy and snapped my fingers.

The sound was sharp and loud. I grinned slightly at my success when I felt the wind ripple from my fingers, across the room. It washed over all of us, making the banners rustle on the walls.

"Oh, but we're not visitors, sir," I said. "We go to school here. You remember: I'm Percy. And this is Annabeth, Thalia and Luke. We're in the eighth grade."

Immediately after saying it I knew I did something wrong. The male teacher narrowed his two-colored eyes at me. I had a feeling that this was a monster. I glanced at the female teacher, but she looked about as mortal as can be. Her eyes were glazed, the Mist taking effect on her brain.

He looked at his colleague. "Ms. Gottschalk, do you know these students?"

Despite the danger we were in, I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. A teacher named _Got Chalk?_ He had to be kidding.

The woman blinked, like someone had just woken her up from a trance. "I…yes. I believe I do, sir." She frowned at us. "Annabeth. Thalia. Percy. Luke. What are you doing away from the gymnasium?"

Before we could answer, I heard more footsteps, and Grover ran up, breathless. "You made it! You—"

He stopped short when he saw the teachers. "Oh, Mrs. Gottschalk. Dr. Thorn! I, uh—"

"What is it, Mr. Underwood?" said the man. His tone made it clear that he detested Grover. "What do you mean, they made it? These students live here."

Grover swallowed. "Yes, sir. Of course, Dr. Thorn. I just meant, I'm so glad they made… the punch for the dance! The punch is great. And they made it!"

I bit my tongue again. That was a terrible lie, and I figured that we would've gotten in more trouble had it not been for Ms. Got-Chalk.

"Yes, the punch is excellent. Now run along, all of you. You are not to leave the gymnasium again!"

We didn't wait to be told twice. We left with a lot of "Yes, ma'ams" and "Yes, sirs" and a couple of salutes, just because it seemed like the thing to do.

Grover hustled us down the hall in the direction of the music.

Grover hurried us to a door that had GYM written on the glass. Even with my dyslexia, I could read that much.

"That was close!" Grover said. "Thank the gods you got here!"

Annabeth and Thalia both hugged Grover. Luke and I gave him big high fives.

It was good to see him after so many months. He'd gotten a little taller and had sprouted a few more whiskers, but otherwise he looked like he always did when he passed for human—a red cap on his curly brown hair to hide his goat horns, baggy jeans and sneakers with fake feet to hide his furry legs and hooves. He was wearing a black T-shirt that took me a few seconds to read. It said WESTOVER HALL: GRUNT. I wasn't sure whether that was, like, Grover's rank or maybe just the school motto.

"So, you found _two_ half-bloods here?" Luke asked. "That's what Percy told us."

Grover confirmed it. "Yeah. I found two."

Finding one half-blood was rare enough. This year, Chiron had put the satyrs on emergency overtime and sent them all over the country, scouring schools from fourth grade through high school for possible recruits. These were desperate times. We were losing campers. We needed all the new fighters we could find. The problem was, there just weren't that many demigods out there.

"A brother and a sister," he said. "They're ten and twelve. I don't know their parentage, but they're strong. We're running out of time, though. I need help."

"Monsters?"

"One." Grover looked nervous. "He suspects. I don't think he's positive yet, but this is the last day of term. I'm sure he won't let them leave campus without finding out. It may be our last chance! Every time I try to get close to them, he's always there, blocking me. I don't know what to do!"

Grover looked at me desperately. I wasn't sure whether it was because I was the better warrior or what, but I didn't really think I was the one that should have been looked up to. Being in charge was something I'd rather do quietly and in the shadows. Even a small group of my friends made me uncomfortable.

"Right," I said. "These half-bloods at the dance?"

Grover nodded.

"Then let's dance," Thalia said. "Who's the monster?"

I suddenly got a bad feeling in my stomach.

"Oh," Grover said, and looked around nervously. "You just met him. The vice principal, Dr. Thorn."

* * *

Weird thing about military schools: the kids go absolutely nuts when there's a special event and they get to be out of uniform. I guess it's because everything's so strict the rest of the time, they feel like they've got to overcompensate or something.

There were black and red balloons all over the gym floor, and guys were kicking them in each others faces, or trying to strangle each other with the crepe-paper streamers taped to the walls. Girls moved around in football huddles, the way they always do, wearing lots of makeup and spaghetti-strap tops and brightly colored pants and shoes that looked like torture devices. Every once in a while they'd surround some poor guy like a pack of piranhas, shrieking and giggling, and when they finally moved on, the guy would have ribbons in his hair and a bunch of lipstick graffiti all over his face. Some of the older guys looked more like me—uncomfortable, hanging out at the edges of the gym and trying to hide, like any minute they might have to fight for their lives. Of course, in my case, it was true…

"There they are." Grover nodded toward a couple of younger kids arguing in the bleachers. "Bianca and Nico di Angelo."

At that point, I had gone to the punch table to try the punch. I made a spit take.

Some attention turned to me, but luckily neither of the di Angelo siblings noticed me.

The girl wore a floppy green cap, like she was trying to hide her face. The boy was obviously her little brother. They both had dark silky hair and olive skin, and they used their hands a lot as they talked. The boy was shuffling some kind of trading cards. His sister seemed to be scolding him about something. She kept looking around like she sensed something was wrong.

"Just like I remember," I whispered.

"Whoa, Percy, you all right? Did you choke or something?" Luke asked concerned.

"Wait, wait." I held my hands up in a _time-out_ gesture. "You say these are the di Angelo siblings?"

"Yeah, why?" Grover inquired.

"Oh, crap. They're demigods?!" I hastily turned around and faced away from the di Angelo siblings. "Crap. I knew I should have helped them. Why didn't I?" I mumbled to myself.

"Percy, what's wrong with you?" Annabeth asked. I looked up at my friends' faces. Annabeth, Luke and Grover gave me concerned looks. Thalia on the other hand gave me a curious look. I knew she was pissed at me, but I didn't understand why she didn't completely ignore me.

"It's...Bianca and Nico." I ran a hand through my hair. "I've met them before, in the Lotus Hotel and Casino. I walked into that casino when I was ten and almost missed my eleventh birthday. Remember that story that I told you? It included these two demigods. I could have saved them, but I thought that they were mortal."

"Wait, just to make sure," Annabeth said. She turned to Grover. "You haven't told them, right?"

Grover shook his head. "You know how it is. That could put them in more danger. Once they realize who they are, their scent becomes stronger."

He looked at me, and I nodded. I'd never really understood what half-bloods "smell" like to monsters and satyrs, but I knew that your scent could get you killed. And the more powerful a demigod you became, the more you smelled like a monster's lunch.

"So let's grab them and get out of here," I said.

"Always the straight on approach, huh?" Thalia asked. "You'd rather just fight instead of waiting tactically."

She gave me a solid stare. "I'm just saying that it'd be easier. Plus the fact that you're a good fighter you, me and Luke could easily take on whatever monster Dr. Thorn is," I replied."

"Don't look at the kids," Thalia ordered ignoring me. "We have to wait for a chance to get them. We need to pretend we're not interested in them. Throw him off the scent."

"How?"

"We're three powerful half-bloods. Our presence should confuse him. Mingle. Act natural. Do some dancing. But keep an eye on those kids."

"Dancing?" Annabeth asked.

Thalia nodded. She cocked her ear to the music and made a face. "Ugh. Who chose the Jesse McCartney?"

Grover looked hurt. "I did."

"Oh my gods, Grover. That is so lame. Can't you play, like, Green Day or something?"

"Green who?"

"Never mind. Let's dance."

"But I can't dance!"

"You can if I'm leading," Thalia said. "Come on, goat boy."

Grover yelped as Thalia grabbed his hand and led him onto the dance floor.

"Annabeth, you want to...dance?" Luke asked shyly. "I can't really dance but..."

She laughed and grabbed Luke's hand. "It's fine, Luke. I can help you, just like how Thalia's helping Grover."

I smiled as they spun away, ready to dance like crazy. I looked over at Thalia and Grover, where Grover was tripping over his own feet..._as well_ _as_ Thalia's. I noticed Thalia was looking at me for a little bit, but after five seconds of me watching them, she turned her head and started laughing at Grover.

I sighed at made my way back to the punch bowl station.

I watched as another fell victim to the girls with lipstick and ribbons. Sighing, I filled another cup full of the fruit punch. I seemed to be sighing a lot at the moment. I watched on as few couples danced around the gym trying their best to avoid the reckless boys and graffiti girls. I leaned back trying to intake their entire scene. I imagined I was a detective. I tried to keep my eye on the di Angelo siblings and at Luke, Annabeth, Thalia and Grover at the same time. It was a hard task and I couldn't do it.

I ended up staring at the di Angelo siblings after it all. I remembered them in the Lotus Hotel and Casino. They were happy young kids. I could remember everything about them: the way Bianca's breath smelled like death and flowers, and how Nico was hyperactive. He must have been really ADHD to be able to me a psycho like that.

I tried deducing who their godly parent was; however, I couldn't narrow it down. She looked so familiar, but I couldn't grasp onto it. Which god had dark black hair and dark black eyes? Or which god had dark brown hair and brown eyes? Those were the things that could be matched between the siblings. Nico had black hair and dark brown eyes, and Bianca had brown hair sticking out of her floppy cap and black eyes, like obsidian.

I wondered how they got out of the casino, as well. The Lotus Hotel and Casino should have been inescapable. It was only because I paid attention to details that I managed to get out of there. Had Bianca not suggested she wanted to take a shower, I would have been in there for much, much longer.

Bianca still looked shy, and Nico still looked like he needed to pee. Some things in life never change.

I saw Bianca swivel her head in my direction so I turned around hastily and refilled my cup of fruit punch. I drank the entire cup in one go and slammed the cup on the table. I caught my breath and looked over my shoulder. Bianca had turned away. She seemed to be scolding her brother.

I scanned the crowd for any signs of Annabeth, Luke, Thalia, or Grover. There were actually quite a few people at the dance, as it took me a while to catch sight of _one_ of them. I noticed Thalia who was laughing at someone I assumed was Grover. When she spun her partner around, it was indeed Grover. He looked miserable.

I snickered at him from where I was. I watched as he fell on his face trying to step backwards. Thalia burst into more laughter. The light of the dance floor seemed to reflect off of her blue eyes in just the right tone and shade. It was almost as if the electricity that coursed through her veins and arteries were the power source of all light. Now I knew that Apollo was actually the source of that, but it just seemed like Thalia was.

The smile slipped off my face. I knew Thalia would forgive me that easily. I knew that my words were harsh. If I could change the past, I would; but that is impossible. Once something happens, nothing can change it, not even if you have the will and strength to do it.

I've always been told that I was the most powerful demigod of the century and was the most kind and amazing person they'd ever met. I never felt like it though. All I ever felt like was some weakling who put someone down because I hated being called dumb. I cursed myself in all of the languages I knew. Hades would probably be happy if I sent myself to the Underworld. He'd probably put me in his underground prison for eternity. Just because my mother was in Elysium didn't mean I would, for the sins I have committed were too much to bear. If I could change my personality, I would; but that's impossible. Not even the most radical person would be able to change me.

I sulked glumly at the fruit punch table as I refilled my cup and drank from the cup, slowly this time.

Then a Green Day song came on. It was Boulevard of Broken Dreams. I smiled slightly. Thalia had probably requested this song. A girl standing next to me said to her friend, "Hey! I know this song! Remember Green Day, Alexis?"

"Oh, yeah!" her friend exclaimed. They continued blabbering on about a whole bunch of crap that involved their school, Green Day, and boys. Though I knew it was true men were to blame for most of relationships mishaps, women were responsible sometimes, too.

I scanned the crowd again to find Annabeth and Luke. Within a minute, I found Luke's head popping out of the crowd. Though Boulevard of Broken Dreams was playing, they were slow dancing. They seemed to be talking about something. I couldn't read their lips exactly, but I swear I saw that Annabeth said her father was moving to San Francisco. That would have sucked because I planned to go back a couple more times to inquire about the celestial bronze bullets.

They were a work in progress still. I felt my left pocket where my switchblade was. Around the back, however, was a nine by nineteen millimetre Parabellum (9x19mm Parabellum) celestial bronze bullet. It still propelled by gunpowder, but the casing was made of celestial bronze so that monster could be affected by them.

I looked back towards the bleachers where I expected the di Angelo siblings to be, but when I looked over they were nowhere to be seen.

I froze in panic. I looked over to the doors by the bleachers and noticed a figure closing the door behind him. _Dr. Thorn_, I thought bitterly.

I needed to let Annabeth and Luke know before I lost sight of them. They would have to get Thalia and Grover.

I burst into a run, weaving through dancing kids like a spider weaving a web. I ducked under the group of girls that victimized guys with lipstick graffiti and escaped that horrifying end. I nearly crashed into a boy who looked much bigger and much older than I did. He didn't scare me, but I couldn't afford to get into any fight, no matter how easily I could take them down. When a clearing opened up between two people, I burst through that and crashed into Luke, hard.

"Ow, Percy, what the Hades?!"

"The di Angelo kids are gone," I panted.

There were a few mortals staring at us, but I doubted they knew what we were talking about. Luke gave me a panicked look. From behind me, Annabeth said, "What are you talking about? What do you mean gone?"

"No time. You find Thalia and Grover and come out to the back of the school. I can probably hold Dr. Thorn off for a little bit, whatever he is, as you guys figure out a plan of attack."

"Let me come with you, just in case," Luke said.

"No," I ordered. "Split from Annabeth to find Thalia and Grover. That way it'll be faster to get out and form a plan. Who knows? Maybe you'll figure out what Dr. Thorn is faster if you analyze him."

And with that, I got up and ran to the doors by the bleachers.

The door led into a dark hallway. I heard sounds of scuffling up ahead, then a painful grunt. I thought about uncapping my sword, but hesitated. The monster could have heard me open the doors to the hallway and was just preparing for an ambush. After a moment of deciding, I uncapped Riptide and hit my stopwatch button. The watch expanded into a shield with a bunch of nice decorations on it. They were of the adventures of the Sea of Monsters.

I pulled out Triametalla and held it unactivated with my shield hand. That way, I could slip the shield back and use all three of my weapons. I never really practiced fighting this way, but I was pretty confident in my swordplay.

I jogged down the corridor, but when I got to the other end, no one was there. I opened a door and found myself back in the main entry hall. I was completely turned around. I didn't see Dr. Thorn anywhere, but there on the opposite side of the room were the di Angelo kids. They stood frozen in horror, staring right at me.

I could see recognition dawn in their eyes of who I was.

I smiled at them. "Hey guys. I see you got out of the Lotus Hotel and Casino."

They didn't answer. Their eyes were full of fear. What was wrong with them? Where was Dr. Thorn? Maybe he'd sensed the presence of Riptide and retreated. Monsters hated celestial bronze weapons.

Then I realized the more rational solution. I whirled around and yelled, holding my shield up. Something slammed into it, but I got up. I held my sword pointed at Dr. Thorn and he growled at me. "'Sup, Doc. I hear you're not really a doctor."

He growled and another "thing" shot from behind him. I instinctively held my shield up. When it hit my shield, I looked at it and realized it was a spike of some sort.

"You cannot defeat me, demigod," Dr. Thorn snarled, which sounded weird with his accent. "Even if you are the infamous, Percy Jackson."

"Well, it's a good thing that I'm known," I said. "That way you can run away like the cowards all of you monsters are. So, what are you? An_ empousa_," I laughed.

Dr. Thorn snarled again. Another spike flew out from behind him. My shield took even more damage. Any more of the damage and my shield would be gone. Hesitantly, I tapped the back of my shield and it shrunk back down into a watch. I held my switchblade up, ready to cut anything that would come my way.

Then, at a rapid fire pace, at least ten spikes flew at me. I dodged the first three before cutting down the next few. However, at least two of the spikes managed to strike me. One grazed my shoulder and the other stuck through my swordhand wrist. I dropped Riptide in pain.

"Not so tough are you, Mr. Jackson," he grinned. His face moved out of the shadow it was in before and I could now see his face clearly. His blue/brown eyes glinted evilly in the glow of my sword.

"You haven't even begun to see what I am capable of," I threatened, just to make him scared. The truth was that I didn't know what the hell kind of monster he was, and so I didn't know what his weakness was. I only hoped that Thalia, Grover, Annabeth and Luke had finally reached each other by now.

"All three of you will come with me," Dr. Thorn said. "Quietly. Obediently. If you make a single noise, if you call out for help or try to fight, I will show you just how accurately I can throw."

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

**I also apologize for any grammatical errors in the chapter above.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	4. Missile Launchers and Magic

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

**I'm sorry to bother you about the poll, but I realized that people weren't realizing they could vote for two so I set up a survey for you to fill out. Go to my profile page to find it (Survey Monkey).**

**If this doesn't work, then go to the link that's on my profile page at the bottom of the Author Bio.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Περσεύς 3**

**Missile Launchers and Magic**

I didn't know what kind of monster Dr. Thorn was, but he was fast.

I could only hope Annabeth and Luke knew what back of the school meant. It was a good thing that Dr. Thorn was actually bringing us to the back of the school. Who knows what would've happened if they went to the wrong place and waited there for us to arrive.

My shoulder was sore from the spike that grazed it; the poison was taking its effect.

Then, I grabbed my right forearm. I tapped the spike to the side, but that only made it hurt more. "Ow!" I said, grimacing.

Dr. Thorn noticed that the spike in my right wrist was causing me pain. "Do not worry," he said. "My poison causes pain, not death. Now, walk!"

He shoved my back and I shuffled forward. As Thorn herded us outside, I looked around for any sign of a place where I could help save the di Angelo siblings. I looked at Bianca who was staring at me with wide eyes. She seemed pretty freaked out about me. I could still see the recognition in her eyes. She knew who I was.

So did little Nico. The last time I met them I was the year in between them. Now I was at least two years older than Bianca and four years older than Nico. Nico seemed a little freaked out, but he also looked excited in a way. It was like the fact that he was in danger fascinated him. There was a hint of fear in his eyes as well. I wouldn't be surprised either. I felt much fear when my mother had died. I had been sad, too.

Thorn marched us into the woods. We took a snowy path dimly lit by old-fashioned lamplights. My shoulder ached. The wind blowing through my ripped clothes was so cold that I felt like a Percysicle.

"There is a clearing ahead," Thorn said. "We will summon your ride."

"What ride?" Bianca demanded. "Where are you taking us?"

"Silence, you insufferable girl!"

"Don't talk to my sister that way.'" Nico said. His voice quivered, but I was impressed that he had the guts to say anything at all.

Dr. Thorn made a growling sound that definitely wasn't human. It made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, but I forced myself to keep walking and pretend I was being a good little captive. I closed my eyes and concentrated, this time on Grover's face. I was trying to use the empathy link to my advantage. _Apples! Tin cans! Grover can you hear me? Tell Annabeth to think of a plan before you guys intrude. I might think of something so be aware_.

"Move!" Thorn shoved me again. I growled and glared harshly at Dr. Thorn.

The monster didn't seem fazed, probably because he thought I was a weakling.

"Halt," Thorn said.

The woods had opened up. We'd reached a cliff overlooking the sea. At least, I sensed the sea was down there, hundreds of feet below. I could hear the waves churning and I could smell the cold salty froth. But all I could see was mist and darkness.

Dr. Thorn pushed us toward the edge. I stumbled, and Bianca caught me.

"Thanks," I murmured.

"What is he?" she whispered. "How do we fight him?"

"I'm working on it, Bianca," I whispered back.

I looked over the edge once again and held my right arm down. Suddenly, a gut feeling entered in my stomach. I felt the power of the ocean rise up through my hand. I willed the water to scale the cliff, as if it were raining backwards. An idea popped into my head and I turned to Thorn.

"Good," he said. "Follow Percy's lead. Face me."

Thorn's two-tone eyes glittered hungrily. He pulled something from under his coat. At first I thought it was a switchblade, but it was only a phone. He pressed the side button and said, "The package—it is ready to deliver."

There was a garbled reply, and I realized Thorn was in walkie-talkie mode. This seemed way too modern and creepy—a monster using a mobile phone.

I glanced behind me, wondering how far the drop was.

Dr. Thorn laughed. "By all means, Son of Poseidon. Jump! There is the sea. Save yourself."

"What did he call you?" Bianca muttered.

"I'll explain later," I said.

"You do have a plan, right?"

_Rise and hide_, I willed the water. _Wait for my signal_, I told it.

"Yes, I do."

"I would kill you before you ever reached the water," Dr. Thorn said, as if attempting to read my thoughts. "You do not realize who I am, do you?"

_Well, what if the water reached me?_

A flicker of movement behind him, and another missile whistled so close to me that it nicked my ear. Something had sprung up behind Dr. Thorn—like a catapult, but more flexible…almost like a tail.

I narrowed my eyes at the monster and dug into my head for any knowledge of mythological creatures with tails that threw spikes. I nearly pissed my pants when I figured out what the monster was. He was a manticore, a long forgotten creature of the east that was exiled from the Western World. There was almost no information on this creature out in the world..._almost_.

"Unfortunately," Thorn said, "you are wanted alive, if possible. Otherwise you would already be dead."

"Who wants us?" Bianca demanded. "Because if you think you'll get a ransom, you're wrong. We don't have any family. Nico and I…" Her voice broke a little. "We've got no one but each other."

"Aww," Dr. Thorn said. "Do not worry, little brats. You will be meeting my employer soon enough. Then you will have a brand-new family."

"Ethan," I said. "You work for Ethan."

Dr. Thorn's mouth twisted with distaste when I said the name of my old enemy—a former friend who'd tried to kill me several times. "You have no idea what is happening, Perseus Jackson. I will let the General enlighten you. You are going to do him a great service tonight. He is looking forward to meeting you."

"The General?" I asked. Then I realized I'd said it with a French accent. "I mean… who's the General?"

Thorn looked toward the horizon. "Ah, here we are. Your transportation."

I turned and saw a light in the distance, a searchlight over the sea. Then I heard the chopping of helicopter blades getting louder and closer.

"Where are you taking us?" Nico said.

"You should be honored, my boy. You will have the opportunity to join a great army! Just like that silly game you play with cards and dolls."

"They're not dolls! They're figurines! And you can take your great army and—"

"Now, now," Dr. Thorn warned. "You will change your mind about joining us, my boy. And if you do not, well…there are other uses for half-bloods. We have many monstrous mouths to feed. The Great Stirring is underway."

"The Great what?" I asked. Anything to keep him talking while the water collected just below the edge of the cliff.

"The stirring of monsters." Dr. Thorn smiled evilly. "The worst of them, the most powerful, are now waking. Monsters that have not been seen in thousands of years. They will cause death and destruction the likes of which mortals have never known. And soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus!"

"Okay," Bianca whispered to me. "He's completely nuts."

I grinned at her. "Sometimes you got to be nuts to live, Bianca."

I looked behind the manticore at saw the silhouettes of three people standing in the shadow of the forest. I saw the invisible footsteps of Annabeth carefully walking through the snow so that she wouldn't make too much noise. My eyes slowly followed the trail of footsteps, and when I thought it was time, I held my hand up, a signal to stop.

Luckily, Annabeth understood. She stopped. The silhouettes in the shadows of the forest moved forward, but I moved my hand slightly to stop them too. The gut feeling of controlling gallons and gallons of water started becoming a little pained as I held them at will.

"What are you doing, Jackson," hissed Thorn.

I gave him the patented Jackson grin. "Killing you." My face turned fierce and with a loud shout, all of the water that had collected just below the edge of the cliff exploded over the side. A cocoon of water surrounded Bianca, Nico and I, as water came crashing down on Dr. Thorn.

"Back, Annabeth!" I yelled. I could only hope she knew what I wanted to say. "Go, lightning!"

"Yah!" I heard a yell from the trees and thunder rumbled in the sky. Seconds later, lightning flashed and struck the manticore with a loud _boom!_ Thorn hissed in pain and slowly got up.

I knew I couldn't fight with my right hand unless I healed it. But that process would take too long...unless...

I yanked the spike out as hard as I could so that there wouldn't be as much pain. It still hurt, but I concentrated on keeping the water up on the cliff without it evaporating and condensing. I let go of the shield that protected me, Bianca and Nico, and wrapped a ring of water around my right wrist. I felt the water mending the bone, tissue and muscle. I felt regenerated, as if I were playing a video game and had respawned.

I pulled Riptide out of my pocket and uncapped it. I doused Thorn in water again before letting all of the water spray back out into the ocean.

Then Thalia and Luke rushed into combat.

Thalia had a huge spear in her right hand that looked kind of intimidating, but was definitely not the scariest part about her. She looked fierce running into battle, her blue eyes flashing in anger. The scarier part about her was the fact that she was using her shield, Aegis, in battle. The shield has the head of the gorgon Medusa molded into the bronze, and even though it won't turn you to stone, it's so horrible, most people will panic and run at the sight of it.

Even Dr. Thorn winced and growled when he saw it.

Thalia moved in with her spear. "For Zeus!"

I thought Dr. Thorn was a goner. Thalia jabbed at his head, but he snarled and swatted the spear aside. His hand changed into an orange paw, with enormous claws that sparked against Thalia's shield as he slashed. If it hadn't been for Aegis, Thalia would've been sliced like a loaf of bread. As it was, she managed to roll backward and land on her feet.

The sound of the helicopter was getting louder behind me, but I didn't dare look.

Dr. Thorn launched another volley of missiles at Thalia, and this time I could see how he did it. He had a tail—a leathery, scorpion-like tail that bristled with spikes at the tip. The missiles deflected off Aegis, but the force of their impact knocked Thalia down.

Grover sprang forward. He put his reed pipes to his lips and began to play—a frantic jig that sounded like something pirates would dance to. Grass broke through the snow. Within seconds, rope-thick weeds were wrapping around Dr. Thorn's legs, entangling him.

Dr. Thorn roared and began to change. He grew larger until he was in his true form—his face still human, but his body that of a huge lion. His leathery, spiky tail whipped deadly thorns in all directions.

"A manticore!" Annabeth said, now visible. She was next to us, stuffing her magical New York Yankees cap into her pocket.

"Who are you people?" Bianca di Angelo demanded. "And what is that?"

"A manticore?" Nico gasped. "He's got three thousand attack power and plus five to saving throws!"

I didn't know what he was talking about, but I didn't have time to worry about it. The manticore clawed Grover's magic weeds to shreds then turned toward us with a snarl.

"Get down!" Annabeth pushed the di Angelos flat into the snow. At the last second, I remembered my own shield. I hit my wristwatch, and metal plating spiraled out into a thick bronze shield. Not a moment too soon. The thorns impacted against it with such force they dented the metal. The beautiful shield, a gift from my brother, was badly damaged...again. I wasn't sure it would even stop a third volley.

I heard a thwack and a yelp, and Grover landed next to me with a thud.

"Yield!" the monster roared.

"Never!" Thalia yelled from across the field.

Then Luke appeared seemingly out of nowhere and hacked at the manticore. He swung skillfully in a very conservative way. Thalia followed him into battle and began to charge at the manticore. I stood up and held Riptide forward, just in case any spikes came our way. I pulled out Triametalla and deactivated my heavily damaged shield.

I thought that Thalia and Luke would have been able to handle the manticore on their own, but the stupid helicopter had to ruin and crush my dreams.

The helicopter appeared out of the mist, hovering just beyond the cliffs. It was a sleek black military-style gunship, with attachments on the sides that looked like laser-guided rockets. The helicopter had to be manned by mortals, but what was it doing here? How could mortals be working with a monster? The searchlights blinded Thalia, and the manticore swatted her away with its tail. Her shield flew off into the snow. Her spear flew in the other direction.

Luke tried attacking the manticore while he was distracted, but Dr. Thorn anticipated that and sent him flying. .His sword flew high in the air and landed at the edge of the cliff-side before skidding off. Luke grunted in pain. I knew I couldn't protect them both at once so I charged the manticore.

Thorn was a very excellent shooter, I praise him for that. But I was very lucky I learned how to fight with a switchblade in one hand and a sword in the other. I felt like I was fighting like a hurricane, swatting away anything that would come up to me. My right hand no longer felt sore, and my shoulder was only hurting a bit, the water probably skimming my shoulder to slightly heal it.

I yelled as I thrust at the manticore's chest. He dodged, but I spun so that I stepped in closer and jabbed with the knife. It narrowly missed nicking Thorn's skin, but I followed it up with a wild slash downwards. I grinned maniacally at the manticore. "I'm not so bad, am I, Dr. Thorn? I'll give you a challenge. I'm not even going one hundred percent."

At that very moment, I heard a little noise escape the forest. Sure, it could have been a bug and animal of some sort, but I knew it wasn't. I heard a laugh from inside the forest that was very human-like. It could have been a forest nymph, but that was unlikely. In that moment, Dr. Thorn took the opportunity to sweep me away with his tail. I flew at least ten feet and landed with a grunt and crack that sounded as painful as Luke's. I looked to my left where Thalia was glaring at the manticore with a hatred I hadn't seen since this morning...to me.

"Oh, poor boy," Thorn goaded. "You should have known I was much superior to your swordplay."

He advanced on me slowly. "I could have killed you mere seconds ago if you weren't wanted alive. So for that, I shall spare your life. Being too overconfident will lead to your downfall, Percy Jackson."

"Wise words for an overconfident coward like yourself," I retorted. "Hiding behind your stupid spikes. Ha! Long ranged weapons, unless used by the right people, are for sissies."

Dr. Thorn growled. "Who are '_the right people'_?"

I glanced at the forest and noticed figures standing in the shadows. "Them," I told Thorn.

He gave me a confused and angry look. "What are you talking about?!" he demanded.

"Now!" I shouted.

Then I heard a clear, piercing sound: the call of a hunting horn blowing in the woods.

The manticore froze. For a moment, no one moved. There was only the swirl of snow and wind and the chopping of the helicopter blades.

"No," Dr. Thorn said. "It cannot be—"

His sentence was cut short when something shot past me like a streak of moonlight. A glowing silver arrow sprouted from Dr. Thorn's shoulder.

He staggered backward, wailing in agony.

"Curse you!" Thorn cried. He unleashed his spikes, dozens of them at once, into the woods where the arrow had come from, but just as fast, silvery arrows shot back in reply. It almost looked like the arrows had intercepted the thorns in midair and sliced them in two, but my eyes must've been playing tricks on me. No one, not even Apollo's kids at camp, could shoot with that much accuracy.

Then the silvery color of the arrows lit a memory in my head.

_It couldn't be the Hunters. Oh man... Well, at least I praised them?_

The manticore pulled the arrow out of his shoulder with a howl of pain. His breathing was heavy.

The manticore pulled the arrow out of his shoulder with a howl of pain. His breathing was heavy. I tried to swipe at him with my sword, but he wasn't as injured as he looked. He dodged my attack and slammed his tail into my shield, knocking me aside.

Then the archers came from the woods. They were girls, about a dozen of them. The youngest was maybe ten. The oldest, about fourteen, like me. They wore silvery ski parkas and jeans, and they were all armed with bows. They advanced on the manticore with determined expressions.

"The Hunters!" Annabeth cried.

Next to me, Thalia muttered, "Oh, wonderful."

I didn't have a chance to ask what she meant.

One of the older archers stepped forward with her bow drawn. She was tall and graceful with coppery colored skin. Unlike the other girls, she had a silver circlet braided into the top of her long dark hair, so she looked like some kind of Persian princess. "Permission to kill, my lady?"

I couldn't tell who she was talking to, because she kept her eyes on the manticore.

The monster wailed. "This is not fair! Direct interference! It is against the Ancient Laws."

"Not so," another girl said. This one was a little younger than me, maybe twelve or thirteen. She had auburn hair gathered back in a ponytail and strange eyes, silvery yellow like the moon. Her face was so beautiful it made me catch my breath, but her expression was stern and dangerous. "The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast." She looked at the older girl with the circlet. "Zoe, permission granted."

The manticore growled. "If I cannot have these alive, I shall have them dead!"

He lunged for me and Thalia. I tried getting up, but a sharp pain in my left leg prevented me from doing so. However, Annabeth and Luke came to our rescue. Annabeth tackled the manticore away from us, grabbing onto its back. Then Luke leaped on without any weapon and tried holding Thorn in a choke hold. Annabeth then drove her knife into the beast's mane. The manticore howled, turning in circles with his tail flailing as Annabeth and Luke hung on for dear life.

"Fire!" Zoe ordered.

"No!" Thalia screamed.

But the Hunters let their arrows fly. The first caught the manticore in the neck. Another hit his chest. The manticore staggered backward, wailing, "This is not the end, Huntress! You shall pay!"

And before anyone could react, the monster, with Annabeth and Luke still on his back, leaped over the cliff and tumbled into the darkness.

"Luke! Annabeth!" I leaped up and ran to the edge of the cliff. I looked down before a _snap-snap-snap_ from the helicopter—the sound of gunfire—made me dive to the side. Bullet holes where I used to be standing appeared in the snow. I rolled up and glared at the helicopter. I focused all of my remaining energy on this last push. I reached down, grabbing hold of the ocean water once again and shot my hand up, like I was eager to answer questions in school. An enormous fist of water shot out of the darkness, stretching hundreds of feet, and grabbed the helicopter. Then I yanked down and the helicopter was no more. I felt the presence of the helicopter down there somewhere and I made sure that it could never come back up.

"Percy Jackson." The auburn-haired girl regarded me with those silvery yellow eyes. "I see you were willing to take on the mortals on your own."

I gave her a respectful look despite how tired I was and bowed. "I assume you were meant to hunt the manticore with your Hunters. Sorry if we ruined that hunt, but we're sort of on an escapade at the moment."

Artemis gave me a strange look as the Hunters began advancing on us.

"Percy," Thalia warned. "We have to find Annabeth and Luke." She gave me a look.

I grimaced. "They're...they're not in the water, Thalia. If they were there, I would be able to feel their presence. Trust me, I wanna hurl myself off this cliff, too." Then I mouthed, "Here come the Hunters."

The one called Zoe stopped short when she saw Thalia. "You," she said with distaste.

"Zoe Nightshade." Thalia turned, her voice trembling with anger. "Perfect timing, as usual."

Zoe scanned the rest of us. "Four half-bloods and a satyr, my lady."

"Yes," the younger girl said. "Some of Chiron's campers, I see."

I tiredly shuffled forward, trying to make my way towards Bianca and Nico. Then two Hunters grabbed onto my arms roughly and shoved me to the ground. I gritted my teeth angrily.

Grover looked around desperately, as if the adventure of crashing to the snow made him amnesiac. "Percy? What's happening?"

I looked around at the Hunters, Zoe and the young auburn-haired girl. "The Hunters are here, Grover."

"Wait, did you say Hunters? Like you mean the Hunters are here, with us?" Grover looked around frantically. His eyes locked on the auburn-haired girl and he asked, "Is that...?"

"Yes, Grover." Thalia rolled her eyes.

"That's Artemis, goddess of the Hunt," I replied. Then I turned to Artemis. "Could you please ask your Hunters to let go of me? It's getting rather annoying and I'd rather solve this problem calmly and with the least amount of violence as possible. With all due respect, I don't think your Hunters would enjoy touching a 'filthy male' like myself, would they?"

Immediately, the two Hunter that were holding onto me let go and wiped their hands on the snow.

"Thank you," I said, getting up. "Now, let's talk!"

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

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**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	5. Bianca di Angelo Makes a Choice

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

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* * *

**Περσεύς 4**

**Bianca di Angelo Makes a Choice**

I couldn't tell if everyone was shocked as the fact that two demigods had just fell off the cliff or by my calmness at the situation. Everyone stared at me in silence until Grover suddenly gasped and then knelt hastily in the snow and started yammering, "Thank you, Lady Artemis! You're so…you're so…Wow!"

"Get up, goat boy!" Thalia snapped. "We have other things to worry about. Annabeth is gone!"

"Whoa," Bianca di Angelo said breaking out of her stupor. "Hold up. Time out."

Everybody looked at her. She pointed her finger at all of us in turn, like she was trying to connect the dots. "Who…who are you people? I know him"—she pointed at me—"but who are the rest of you?"

Artemis's expression softened. "It might be a better question, my dear girl, to ask who are _you_?!Who are your parents?"

Bianca glanced nervously at her brother, who was still staring in awe at Artemis.

Our parents are dead," Bianca said. "We're orphans. There's a bank trust that pays for our school, but…"

She faltered. I guess she could tell from our faces that we didn't believe her.

"What?" she demanded. "I'm telling the truth."

"You are a half-blood," Zoe Nightshade said. Her accent was hard to place. It sounded old-fashioned, like she was reading from a really old book. "One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian."

"An Olympian… athlete?"

"No," Zoe said. "One of the gods."

"Cool!" said Nico.

"No!" Bianca's voice quavered. "This is not cool!"

Nico danced around like he needed to use the restroom.

"Does Zeus really have lightning bolts that do six hundred damage? Does he get extra movement points for—"

Before Bianca cut him off, he elicited a few snickers from me. I guess it was just because I was really worn out and tired from creating the giant fist.

"Nico, shut up!" Bianca put her hands to her face. "This is not your stupid Mythomagic game, okay? There are no gods!"

As much as I was tired, I couldn't help but feel sympathetic for Bianca. I remembered the first few days of my journey after I was told I was the son of Poseidon. It was heart-wrenching, tiring, exhausting and very much hard to believe. That was, until I jumped into the ocean and realized I could breathe. It was a shock for me.

Thalia must've been feeling something similar, because the anger in her eyes subsided a little bit. "Bianca, I know it's hard to believe. But the gods are still around. Trust me. They're immortal. And whenever they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well… Our lives are dangerous."

"Dangerous," Bianca said, "like the two who fell."

Thalia turned away. Even Artemis looked pained.

"Do not despair for Annabeth," the goddess said. "She was a brave maiden. If she can be found, I shall find her."

"Um, Lady Artemis," I said tentatively. I knew if I said one wrong word I would turn into some devilish creature that the Hunters would be allowed to hunt. "I have a feeling that the manticore may have taken them to Ethan. That traitor is the bastard who organizes it all."

Artemis stared at me curiously. "And where do you suppose the boy is at?"

I looked around nervously. "I don't know, Artemis...I mean, Lady Artemis."

You see, Ares is not a very dangerous enemy. Sure he could stomp on my face and torture me until I die, but making someone like Athena or Artemis mad would mean a sentence for eternal torture. Unlike the thick-skulled god of war, the swift goddess of the moon and the perceptive goddess of wisdom have brains.

She gave me a mischievous smirk, which I didn't think she'd ever be able to pull off, and although small, it expressed a lot. "I suppose it would be unfortunate that you are useful, and therefore cannot be turned into what is my favorite animal, the jackalope. You inherited your mother's intellect. Use it, _son_ of Poseidon."

There was a confusing silence for a little bit until Nico raised his hand. "Oo! What about Dr. Thorn? That was awesome how you shot him with arrows! Is he dead?"

"He was a manticore," Artemis said. "Hopefully he is destroyed for now, but monsters never truly die. They re-form over and over again, and they must be hunted whenever they reappear."

"Or they'll hunt us," Thalia said.

Bianca di Angelo shivered. "That explains… Nico, you remember last summer, those guys who tried to attack us in the alley in DC?"

"And that bus driver," Nico said. "The one with the ram's horns. I told you that was real."

"That's why Grover has been watching you," I said. "To keep you safe, if you turned out to be half-bloods."

"Grover?" Bianca stared at him. "You're a demigod?"

"Well, a satyr, actually." He kicked off his shoes and displayed his goat hooves. I thought Bianca was going to faint right there.

"Grover, put your shoes back on," Thalia said. "You're freaking her out."

"Hey, my hooves are clean!"

"Bianca," I said, "we came here to help you. You and Nico need training to survive. Dr. Thorn won't be the last monster you meet. You need to come to camp."

"Camp?" she asked.

"Camp Half-Blood," I said. "It's where half-bloods learn to survive and stuff. You can join us, stay there year-round if you like."

"Sweet, let's go!" said Nico.

"Wait," Bianca shook her head. "I don't—"

"There is another option," Zoe said.

"No, there isn't!" Thalia said.

Thalia and Zoe glared at each other. I wasn't completely sure about what they were talking about, but I could tell there was bad history between them. For some reason, they seriously hated each other.

"We've burdened these children enough," Artemis announced. "Zoe, we will rest here for a few hours. Raise the tents. Treat the wounded. Retrieve our guests' belongings from the school."

"Yes, my lady."

"And, Bianca, come with me. I would like to speak with you."

"What about me?" Nico asked.

Artemis considered the boy. "Perhaps you can show Grover how to play that card game you enjoy. I'm sure Grover would be happy to entertain you for a while… as a favor to me?"

Grover just about tripped over himself getting up. "You bet! Come on, Nico."

Nico and Grover walked off toward the woods, talking about hit points and armor ratings and a bunch of other geeky stuff. Artemis led a confused-looking Bianca along the cliff. The Hunters began unpacking their knapsacks and making camp.

Zoe gave Thalia one more evil look, then left to oversee things.

As soon as she was gone, Thalia stamped her foot in frustration. "The nerve of those Hunters! They think they're so…Argh!"

"I'm with you," I said. "I don't trust—"

She turned to me furiously. "Oh. _You're_ with me. That's totally believable. Sometimes you don't have to act like you're the best fighter out of all of us. You're a selfish jerk, you know! Do you even care about other people's feelings? You're so heartless, you probably don't even care that Annabeth and Luke are gone. _I would be able to feel their presence_," she mocked. Then she breathed in to calm herself down. "You know what I am thinking right now. You should have known better."

My jaw clenched. I thought of some harsh things to say, but then I looked down and saw something navy blue lying in the snow at my feet. Annabeth's New York Yankees baseball cap.

Thalia didn't say another word. She wiped a tear from her cheek, turned, and marched off, leaving me alone with a trampled cap in the snow.

* * *

The Hunters set up their camping site in a matter of minutes. Seven large tents, all of silver silk, curved in a crescent around one side of a bonfire. One of the girls blew a silver dog whistle, and a dozen white wolves appeared out of the woods. They began circling the camp like guard dogs. The Hunters walked among them and fed them treats. I had somewhat of a staring contest with one of them. After a little while the wolf gave up and brushed against my pant leg.

Falcons watched us from the trees, their eyes flashing in the firelight, and I got the feeling they were on guard duty, too. Even the weather seemed to bend to the goddess's will. The air was still cold, but the wind died down and the snow stopped falling, so it looked almost pleasant sitting by the fire. I decided to take a seat near it, just to warm myself up.

I watched Thalia pacing in the snow at the edge of camp, walking among the wolves without fear. She stopped and looked back at Westover Hall, which was now completely dark, looming on the hillside beyond the woods. I wondered what she was thinking.

Finally, one of the Hunters brought me my backpack. Grover and Nico came back from their walk, and Grover helped me fix up my wounded arm.

"It's green!" Nico said with delight.

"It's kind of healed, though not completely," Grover told me. "Hold still and eat some ambrosia while I clean out your wound."

I winced as he dressed the wound, but the ambrosia square helped. It tasted like homemade brownie, dissolving in my mouth and sending a warm feeling through my whole body. Between that and the magic salve Grover used, my shoulder felt better within a couple of minutes.

Nico rummaged through his own bag, which the Hunters had apparently packed for him, though how they'd snuck into Westover Hall unseen, I didn't know. Nico laid out a bunch of figurines in the snow—little battle replicas of Greek gods and heroes. I recognized Zeus with a lightning bolt, Ares with a spear, Apollo with his sun chariot.

"Big collection," I said.

Nico grinned. "I've got almost all of them, plus their holographic cards! Well, except for a few really rare ones."

"You've been playing this game a long time?"

"Just this year. Before that…" He knit his eyebrows.

"What?" I asked.

"I don't remember. The only thing I remember before this year is...you in some sort of hotel. And you looked younger." He looked unsettled, but it didn't last long. "Hey, can I see that sword you were using?"

I showed him Riptide, and explained how it turned from a pen into a sword just by uncapping it.

"Cool! Does it ever run out of ink?"

"Um, well, I don't actually write with it."

"Are you really the son of Poseidon?"

"Well, yeah."

"Can you surf really well, then?"

I looked at Grover, who was trying hard not to laugh.

"Jeez, Nico," I said. "I've never really tried."

He went on asking questions. Did I fight a lot with Thalia, since she was a daughter of Zeus? (I didn't answer that one.) If Annabeth's mother was Athena, the goddess of wisdom, then why didn't Annabeth know better than to fall off a cliff? (I tried not to strangle Nico for asking that one.) Were Luke and Annabeth dating? (I said yes.) Was I dating Thalia? (I gave him a glare so intense he actually shivered.)

I figured any second he was going to ask me how many hit points I had, and I'd lose my cool completely, but then Zoe Nightshade came up to us.

"Percy Jackson."

She had dark brown eyes and a slightly upturned nose. With her silver circlet and her proud expression, she looked so much like royalty that I had to resist the urge to sit up straight and say "Screw you, Zeus! I mean, Zoe!" She studied me distastefully, like I was a bag of dirty laundry she'd been sent to fetch.

"Come with me," she said. "Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee."

Zoe led me to the last tent, which looked no different from the others, and waved me inside. Bianca di Angelo was seated next to the auburn-haired girl.

The inside of the tent was warm and comfortable. Silk rugs and pillows covered the floor. In the center, a golden brazier of fire seemed to burn without fuel or smoke. Behind the goddess, on a polished oak display stand, was her huge silver bow, carved to resemble gazelle horns. The walls were hung with animal pelts: black bear, tiger, and several others I didn't recognize. I figured an animal rights activist would've had a heart attack looking at all those rare skins, but maybe since Artemis was the goddess of the hunt, she could replenish whatever she shot. I thought she had another animal pelt lying next to her, and then I realized it was a live animal—a deer with glittering fur and silver horns, its head resting contentedly in Artemis's lap.

"Join us, Percy Jackson," the goddess said.

I sat across from her on the tent floor. The goddess studied me, which made me uncomfortable. I felt as if at any second she would change her mind and turn me into a jackalope, whatever that is. It also felt kind of weird that she was a twelve-year-old girl.

"Are you surprised by my age?" she asked.

"Uh…a little."

"I could appear as a grown woman, or a blazing fire, or anything else I want, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my Hunters, and all young maidens for whom I am patron, before they go astray."

"Go astray?" I asked.

"Grow up. Become smitten with boys. Become silly, preoccupied, insecure. Forget themselves."

"What do you do to them if they go 'astray'?"

"You would prefer not to hear of the events that may happen. They range sometimes. It really depends on the Hunter and how she is led astray. Some may be let free without much punishment, and some may be executed painfully." Regarding the worried look that sprung on Bianca's face, she added, "Do not worry, Bianca. The last event has only happened twice in thousands of years."

Bianca calmed down slightly...only slightly.

Zoe sat down at Artemis's right. She glared at me as if all the stuff Artemis had just said was my fault, like I'd invented the idea of being a guy.

"You must forgive my Hunters if they do not welcome you," Artemis said. "It is very rare that we would have boys in this camp. Boys are usually forbidden to have any contact with the Hunters. The last one to see this camp…" She looked at Zoe. "Which one was it?"

"That boy in Colorado," Zoe said. "You turned him into a jackalope."

"Ah, yes." Artemis nodded, satisfied. "I enjoy making jackalopes. At any rate, Percy, I've asked you here so that you might tell me more of the manticore. Bianca has reported some of the… mmm, disturbing things the monster said. But she may not have understood them. I'd like to hear them from you."

And so I told her.

When I was done, Artemis put her hand thoughtfully on her silver bow. "I feared this was the answer."

Zoe sat forward. "The scent, my lady?"

"Yes."

"What scent?" I asked.

"Things are stirring that I have not hunted in millennia," Artemis murmured. "Prey so old I have nearly forgotten."

She stared at me intently. "We came here tonight sensing the manticore, but he was not the one I seek. Tell me again, exactly what Dr. Thorn said."

"Um, 'I hate middle school dances.'"

"No, no. After that."

"He said somebody called the General was going to explain things to me."

Zoe's face paled. She turned to Artemis and started to say something, but Artemis raised her hand.

"Go on, Percy," the goddess said.

"Well, then Thorn was talking about the Great Stir Pot—"

"Stirring," Bianca corrected.

"Yeah. And he said, 'Soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus.'"

The goddess was so still she could've been a statue.

"Maybe he was lying," I said.

Artemis shook her head. "No. He was not. I've been too slow to see the signs. I must hunt this monster."

Zoe looked like she was trying very hard not to be afraid, but she nodded. "We will leave right away, my lady."

"No, Zoe. I must do this alone."

"But, Artemis—"

"This task is too dangerous even for the Hunters. You know where I must start my search. You cannot go there with me."

"As…as you wish, my lady."

I will find this creature," Artemis vowed. "And I shall bring it back to Olympus by winter solstice. It will be all the proof I need to convince the Council of the Gods of how much danger we are in."

"You know what the monster is?" I asked.

Artemis gripped her bow. "Let us pray I am wrong."

"Can goddesses pray?" I asked, because I'd never really thought about that.

A flicker of a smile played across Artemis's lips. "Before I go, Percy Jackson, I have a small task for you."

"Does it involve getting turned into a jackalope?"

"Sadly, no. I want you to escort the Hunters back to Camp Half-Blood. They can stay there in safety until I return."

"What?" Zoe' blurted out. "But, Artemis, we hate that place. The last time we stayed there—"

"Yes, I know," Artemis said. "But I'm sure Dionysus will not hold a grudge just because of a little, ah, misunderstanding. It's your right to use Cabin Eight whenever you are in need. Besides, I hear they rebuilt the cabins you burned down."

"Or Artemis could always threaten Mr. D," I suggested. "Dionysus is a lazy slob, but knows what is threatening or not, so I doubt that he wouldn't take a threat from Artemis seriously."

Zoe just glared at me. I rolled my eyes. Whatever, there's no changing the Hunters' view on boys, I thought.

Artemis, however, nodded. "Yes. And now there is one last decision to make." Artemis turned to Bianca. "Have you made up your mind, my girl?"

Bianca hesitated. "I'm still thinking about it."

"Wait," I said. "Thinking about what?"

"They…they've invited me to join the Hunt."

I gave Artemis an incredulous look. "You offered her immortality and powers with a bow and hunting knives?" When the goddess nodded, I raised my eyebrows and said, "Well, looks like you're not going to come to Camp Half-Blood. I mean, it's got cool things, but who would turn down immortality?"

"It's not permanent," Artemis said. "There is a very unlikely chance that she will fall in battle, which is the only way a Hunter can pass on, but there is still a chance."

Then I remembered Nico. "Wait, Bianca. What about your brother? Nico can't be a Hunter."

"Certainly not," Artemis agreed. "He will go to camp. Unfortunately, that's the best boys can do."

I opened my mouth to protest, but I figured I'd rather stay a human so I shut my mouth. Still, I thought that was a little sexist and discriminatory. Sure guys were bad, too, but couldn't there be a compromise, a halfway?

"You can see him from time to time," Artemis assured Bianca. "But you will be free of responsibility. He will have the camp counselors to take care of him. And you will have a new family. Us."

"A new family," Bianca repeated dreamily. "Free of responsibility."

I narrowed my eyes at the demigod. That was pretty selfish of her thinking about leaving her brother like that. Sure he's annoying, but he was her brother for crying out loud. If I had the option of leaving Viola, I would _never_ take it, even if what I was offered amounted to that of a king or a god.

She looked at Zoe. "Is it worth it?"

Zoe nodded. "It is."

"What do I have to do?"

"Say this," Zoe told her, " 'I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis.'"

"I…I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis."

"'I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt.'"

Bianca repeated the lines. "That's it?"

Zoe nodded. "If Lady Artemis accepts thy pledge, then it is binding."

"I accept it," Artemis said.

The flames in the brazier brightened, casting a silver glow over the room. Bianca looked no different, but she took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide. "I feel…stronger."

"Welcome, sister," Zoe said.

"Remember your pledge," Artemis said. "It is now your life."

I stayed silent. I tried listening to the churning water from hundreds of feet below, but the fire that crackled in the middle of the tent and the talking of the goddess, Zoe and Bianca interrupted my concentration. I felt like a trespasser at that moment...and a failure. I couldn't believe I'd come all this way and suffered so much only to lose Bianca to some eternal girls' club.

"Do not despair, Percy Jackson," Artemis said. "You will still get to show the di Angelos your camp. And if Nico so chooses, he can stay there."

"Great," I said, trying not to sound surly. "How are we supposed to get there?"

Artemis closed her eyes. "Dawn is approaching. Zoe, break camp. You must get to Long Island quickly and safely. I shall summon a ride from my brother."

Zoe didn't look real happy about this idea, but she nodded and told Bianca to follow her. As she was leaving, Bianca paused in front of me. "I'm sorry, Percy. But I want this. I really, really do."

Then she was gone, and I was left alone with the twelve-year-old goddess.

"So," I said tiredly. "Apollo, huh?"

Artemis's silver eyes gleamed. "Yes, boy. You see, Bianca di Angelo is not the only one with an annoying brother. It's time for you to meet my irresponsible twin."

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

**I also apologize for any grammatical errors in the chapter above.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	6. Thalia Sets Fire to New England

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

**I'm sorry to bother you about the poll, but I realized that people weren't realizing they could vote for two so I set up a survey for you to fill out. Go to my profile page to find it (Survey Monkey).**

**If this doesn't work, then go to the link that's on my profile page at the bottom of the Author Bio.**

**I know that it seems as though I've updated two chapters in one day; however, chapter 4 I finished yesterday, but was only able to post up today.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Περσεύς 5**

**Thalia Sets Fire to New England**

Artemis assured us that dawn was coming, but you could've fooled me. It was colder and darker and snowier than ever. Up on the hill, Westover Hall's windows were completely lightless. I wondered if the teachers had even noticed the di Angelos and Dr. Thorn were missing yet. I didn't want to be around when they did. With my luck, the only name Mrs. Gottschalk would remember was "Percy Jackson," and then I'd be the subject of a nationwide manhunt…again.

The Hunters broke camp as quickly as they'd set it up. I stood in the snow unaffected by the cold snow, and Artemis stared into the east like she was expecting something. Bianca sat off to one side, talking with Nico. I could tell from his gloomy face that she was explaining her decision to join the Hunt. I couldn't help thinking how selfish it was of her, abandoning her brother like that.

Thalia and Grover came up and huddled around me, anxious to hear what had happened in my audience with the goddess.

When I told them, Grover turned pale. "The last time the Hunters visited camp, it didn't go well."

"How'd they even show up here?" I wondered. "I mean, they just appeared out of nowhere."

"And Bianca _joined_ them," Thalia said, disgusted. "It's all Zoe's fault. That stuck-up, no good—"

"Who can blame her?" Grover said. "Eternity with Artemis?" He heaved a big sigh.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "You satyrs. You're all in love with Artemis. Don't you get that she'll never love you back?"

"But she's so…into nature," Grover swooned.

"You're nuts," said Thalia.

"Nuts and berries," Grover said dreamily. "Yeah."

"Don't even try," I said.

Thalia rolled her eyes again and turned away from us, looking up into the dark sky. Finally the sky began to lighten. Artemis muttered, "About time. He's so-o-o lazy during the winter."

"Hey, Artemis." The twelve-year-old goddess turned to me. "What is going to be coming in? Is it going to be like a chariot?"

She snorted. "Chariot. Maybe back in ancient Greek times, but now..."

There was a sudden burst of light on the horizon. A blast of warmth.

"Don't look," Artemis advised. "Not until he parks."

I averted my eyes, and saw that the other kids were doing the same. The light and warmth intensified until my winter coat felt like it was melting off of me. Then suddenly the light died.

I looked. And I couldn't believe it. It was _my_ car.

Well, the car I wanted, anyway.

A red convertible Maserati Spyder. It was so awesome it glowed. Then I realized it was glowing because the metal was hot. The snow had melted around the Maserati in a perfect circle, which explained why I was now standing on green grass and my shoes were wet. It didn't really bother me, though. I loved getting soaked in water.

The driver got out, smiling. He looked about seventeen or eighteen, and for a second, I almost thought he was Luke. This guy had the same sandy hair and outdoorsy good looks. But it wasn't Luke. This guy was taller, with no scar on his face like Luke's. His smile was brighter and more playful, even when the son of Hermes was at his brightest. The Maserati driver wore jeans and loafers and a sleeveless T-shirt.

"He looks just like Luke," Thalia murmured.

"Yeah, I know. You think he's hot?" I teased.

She scowled and zapped me.

"Little sister!" Apollo called. If his teeth were any whiter he could've blinded us without the sun car. "What's up? You never call. You never write. I was getting worried!"

Artemis sighed. "I'm fine, Apollo. And I am not your _little_ sister."

"Hey, I was born first."

"We're twins! How many millennia do we have to argue—"

"So what's up?" he interrupted. "Got the girls with you, I see. You all need some tips on archery?"

Artemis grit her teeth. "I need a favor. I have some hunting to do, _alone_. I need you to take my companions to Camp Half-Blood."

"Sure, sis!" Then he raised his hands in a _stop everything_ gesture. "I feel a haiku coming on."

The Hunters all groaned. Apparently I wasn't the only one who'd been tortured by Apollo's haikus.

He cleared his throat and held up one hand dramatically.

_"Green grass breaks through snow._

_Artemis pleads for my help._

_I am so cool."_

He grinned at us, waiting for applause.

"That last line was only four syllables," Artemis said.

Apollo frowned. "Was it?"

"Yes. What about _I am so big-headed_?"

"No, no, that's six syllables. Hmm." He started muttering to himself.

Zoe Nightshade turned to us. "Lord Apollo has been going through this haiku phase ever since he visited Japan. 'Tis not as bad as the time he visited Limerick. If I'd had to hear one more poem that started with, _There once was a goddess from Sparta_—"

"I've got it!" Apollo announced. "_I am so awesome_. That's five syllables!" He bowed, looking very pleased with himself.

"And now, sis. Transportation for the Hunters, you say? Good timing. I was just about ready to roll."

"These demigods will also need a ride," Artemis said, pointing to us. "Some of Chiron's campers."

"No problem!" Apollo checked us out. "Let's see…Thalia, right? I've heard all about you."

Thalia nodded stiffly. "Lord Apollo," she regarded, attempting to be polite. I wondered if I ever looked like that. I mean, sure my mother had taught me how to be polite, but sometimes I just wanted to relax. If only everyone in the world could go on a first name basis.

"Zeus's girl, yes? Makes you my half sister. Almost turned into a tree a couple years back, didn't you? I hate it when pretty girls turn into trees. Man, I remember one time—"

"Brother," Artemis said. "You should get going."

"Oh, right." Then he looked at me, and his eyes shined mischievously, almost exactly like how Artemis did earlier. "Percy Jackson? How's it going, bro? No need saving from almost dying in a train crash?" He laughed. "I'm just joking, Perce. You're still a celebrity. Like, half of the Olympian council wants to kill you, including my little sis right here—"

"Shut up, Apollo," Artemis said with a guttural tone.

"Well!" he said at last, ignoring his sister. "We'd better load up, huh? Ride only goes one way—west. And if you miss it, you miss it."

I looked at the Maserati, which would seat two people max. There were about twenty of us.

"Cool car," Nico said.

"Thanks, kid," Apollo said.

"But how will we all fit?"

"Oh." Apollo seemed to notice the problem for the first time. "Well, yeah. I hate to change out of sports-car mode, but I suppose…"

He took out his car keys and beeped the security alarm button. _Chirp, chirp_.

For a moment, the car glowed brightly again. When the glare died, the Maserati had been replaced by one of those Turtle Top shuttle buses like we used for school basketball games.

"Right," he said. "Everybody in."

Zoe ordered the Hunters to start loading. She picked up her camping pack, and Apollo said, "Here, sweetheart. Let me get that."

Zoe recoiled. Her eyes flashed murderously.

"Brother," Artemis chided. "You do not help my Hunters. You do not look at, talk to, or flirt with my Hunters. And you do _not_ call them sweetheart."

Apollo spread his hands. "Sorry. I forgot. Hey, sis, where are you off to, anyway?"

"Hunting," Artemis said. "It's none of your business."

"I'll find out. I see all. Know all."

Artemis snorted. "Just drop them off, Apollo. And no messing around!"

"No, no! I never mess around."

Artemis rolled her eyes, then looked at us. "I will see you by winter solstice. Zoe, you are in charge of the Hunters. Do well. Do as I would do."

Zoe straightened. "Yes, my lady."

Artemis knelt and touched the ground as if looking for tracks. When she rose, she looked troubled. "So much danger. The beast must be found."

She sprinted toward the woods and melted into the snow and shadows.

Apollo turned and grinned, jangling the car keys on his finger. "So," he said. "Who wants to drive?"

* * *

The Hunters piled into the van. They all crammed into the back so they'd be as far away as possible from Apollo and the rest of us highly infectious males, Bianca sat with them, leaving her little brother to hang in the front with us, which seemed cold to me, but Nico didn't seem to mind.

"This is so cool!" Nico said, jumping up and down in the driver's seat.

"Is this really the sun? I thought Helios and Selene were the sun and moon gods. How come sometimes it's them and sometimes it's you and Artemis?"

"Downsizing," Apollo said. "The Romans started it. They couldn't afford all those temple sacrifices, so they laid off Helios and Selene and folded their duties into our job descriptions. My sis got the moon. I got the sun. It was pretty annoying at first, but at least I got this cool car."

"But how does it work?" Nico asked. "I thought the sun was a big fiery ball of gas!"

Apollo chuckled and ruffled Nico's hair. "That rumor probably got started because Artemis used to call me a big fiery ball of gas. Seriously, kid, it depends on whether you're talking astronomy or philosophy. You want to talk astronomy? Bah, what fun is that? You want to talk about how humans _think_ about the sun? Ah, now that's more interesting. They've got a lot riding on the sun…er, so to speak. It keeps them warm, grows their crops, powers engines, makes everything look, well, sunnier. This chariot is built out of human _dreams_ about the sun, kid. It's as old as Western Civilization. Every day, it drives across the sky from east to west, lighting up all those puny little mortal lives. The chariot is a manifestation of the sun's power, the way mortals perceive it. Make sense?"

Nico shook his head. "No."

"Well then, just think of it as a really powerful, really dangerous solar car."

"Can I drive?"

"No. Too young."

"Oo! Oo!" Grover raised his hand.

"Mm, no," Apollo said. "Too furry."

He looked past me and focused on Thalia.

"Daughter of Zeus!" he said. "Lord of the sky. Perfect."

"Oh, no." Thalia shook her head. "No, thanks."

"C'mon," Apollo said. "How old are you?"

Thalia immediately burst out, "I'm only thirteen. I turn fourteen the day after the Winter Solstice."

Apollo pursed his lips in thought. "Hm. I suppose you are too young to drive but...the last guy I let drive the sun chariot wasn't a child of Zeus. He won't blast you out of the sky this time...hopefully."

Thalia shifted her feet nervously. "Uh—"

"I know what you're going to say," Apollo said. "You don't deserve an honor like driving the sun chariot."

"That's not what I was going to say."

"Like I said, Zeus isn't going to blast _you_ out of the sky," Apollo laughed. "Maybe Percy over here, but definitely not you."

Thalia tried to protest, but Apollo was absolutely not going to take "no" for an answer. He hit a button on the dashboard, and a sign popped up along the top of the windshield. I had to read it backward (which, for a dyslexic, really isn't that different than reading forward). I was pretty sure it said WARNING: STUDENT DRIVER.

"Take it away!" Apollo told Thalia. "You're gonna be a natural!"

"Speed equals heat," Apollo advised. "So start slowly, and make sure you've got good altitude before you really open her up."

Thalia gripped the wheel so tight her knuckles turned white. She looked like she was going to be sick.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"Nothing," she said shakily. "N-nothing is wrong."

She pulled back on the wheel. It tilted, and the bus lurched upward so fast I fell back and crashed against something soft.

"Ow," Grover said.

"Sorry."

"Slower!" Apollo said.

"Sorry!" Thalia said. "I've got it under control!"

I managed to get to my feet. Looking out the window, I saw a smoking ring of trees from the clearing where we'd taken off.

"Thalia," I said, "lighten up on the accelerator."

"I've _got_ it, Percy," she said, gritting her teeth. But she kept it floored.

I frowned at tried a different approach. "Loosen up," I told her soothingly, as if she were in some sort of spa. "You don't need to see where you are going. Let your instincts guide you."

Thalia let out a shaky breath and closed her eyes. I could see her starting to loosen up. She no longer looked like a board of plywood.

"We need to veer south for Long Island," Apollo said. "Hang a left."

Thalia suddenly tightened her grip on the wheel again and jerked it to the right. She sent me flying into Grover again, who yelped. Apollo stared at the daughter of Zeus incredulously. "Um, Thalia. Your other left."

I made the mistake of looking out the window again. We were at airplane height now—so high the sky was starting to look black.

"Ah…" Apollo said, and I got the feeling he was forcing himself to sound calm. "A little lower, sweetheart. Cape Cod is freezing over."

Thalia tilted the wheel. Her face was chalk white, her forehead beaded with sweat. Something was definitely wrong. I'd never seen her like this.

The bus pitched down and somebody screamed. Maybe it was me. Now we were heading straight toward the Atlantic Ocean at a thousand miles an hour, the New England coastline off to our right. And it was getting hot in the bus.

Apollo had been thrown somewhere in the back of the bus, but he started climbing up the rows of seats.

"Take the wheel!" Grover begged him.

"No worries," Apollo said. He looked plenty worried. "She just has to learn to—WHOA!"

I saw what he was seeing. Down below us was a little snow-covered New England town. At least, it used to be snow-covered. As I watched, the snow melted off the trees and the roofs and the lawns. The white steeple on a church turned brown and started to smolder. Little plumes of smoke, like birthday candles, were popping up all over the town. Trees and rooftops were catching fire.

"Pull up," I yelled.

There was a wild light in Thalia's eyes. She yanked back on the wheel, and I held on this time. As we zoomed up, I could see through the back window that the fires in the town were being snuffed out by the sudden blast of cold.

"There!" Apollo pointed. "Long Island, dead ahead. Let's slow down, dear. 'Dead' is only an expression."

"I'm pretty sure she knows, Apollo," I said, holding on for my life.

Thalia was thundering toward the coastline of northern Long Island. There was Camp Half-Blood: the valley, the woods, the beach. I could see the dining pavilion and cabins and the amphitheater.

"I'm under control," Thalia muttered. "I'm under control."

"Yes, you are, sweetie," said Apollo. "Now, just a touch lower. We're within a few hundred feet, so...BRAKE!" he yelled.

Thalia slammed on the brakes and the sun bus pitched forward at a forty-five-degree angle, slamming into the Camp Half-Blood canoe lake with a huge _FLOOOOOOSH_! Steam billowed up, sending several frightened naiads scrambling out of the water with half-woven wicker baskets.

The bus bobbed to the surface, along with a couple of capsized, half-melted canoes.

"Well," said Apollo with a brave smile. "You were right, my dear. You had everything under control! Let's go see if we boiled anyone important, shall we?"

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

**I also apologize for any grammatical errors in the chapter above.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	7. Iris-Messaging and Nightmares

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

**I'm sorry to bother you about the poll, but I realized that people weren't realizing they could vote for two so I set up a survey for you to fill out. Go to my profile page to find it (Survey Monkey).**

**If this doesn't work, then go to the link that's on my profile page at the bottom of the Author Bio.**

**Unlike other authors, I will continue to post even if my review count does not rise. I'm just that nice.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Περσεύς 6**

**Iris-Messaging and Nightmares**

I'd never seen Camp Half-Blood in winter before, and the snow surprised me.

See, the camp has the ultimate magic climate control. Nothing gets inside the borders unless the director, Mr. D, wants it to. I thought it would be warm and sunny, but instead the snow had been allowed to fall lightly. Frost covered the chariot track and the strawberry fields. The cabins were decorated with tiny flickering lights, like Christmas lights, except they seemed to be balls of real fire. More lights glowed in the woods, and weirdest of all, a fire flickered in the attic window of the Big House, where the Oracle dwelt, imprisoned in an old mummified body. I wondered if the spirit of Delphi was roasting marshmallows up there or something.

"Whoa," Nico said as he climbed off the bus. "Is that a climbing wall?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Why is there lava pouring down it?"

"Little extra challenge. Come on. I'll introduce you to Chiron. I assume you know him, Zoe?"

Zoe nodded stiffly. "Tell him we will be in Cabin Eight. Hunters, follow me."

"I'll show you the way," Grover offered.

"We know the way."

"Oh, really, it's no trouble. It's easy to get lost here, if you don't"—he tripped over a canoe and came up still talking—"like my old daddy goat used to say! Come on!"

Zoe rolled her eyes, but I guess she figured there was no getting rid of Grover. The Hunters shouldered their packs and their bows and headed off toward the cabins. As Bianca di Angelo was leaving, she leaned over and whispered something in her brothers ear. She looked at him for an answer, but Nico just scowled and turned away.

"Take care, sweethearts!" Apollo called after the Hunters. An arrow thudded onto the bus behind his head, the sharp-tipped object nearly impaling the god's face. He just smiled as if it had happened before. Then he turned to me and winked. "Watch out for those prophecies, Percy. I'll see you soon."

"What do you mean?"

Instead of answering, he hopped back in the bus. "Later, Thalia," he called. "And, uh, be good!"

He gave her a wicked smile, as if he knew something she didn't. Then he closed the doors and revved the engine. I turned aside as the sun chariot took off in a blast of heat. When I looked back, the lake was steaming. A red Maserati soared over the woods, glowing brighter and climbing higher until it disappeared in a ray of sunlight.

Nico was still looking grumpy. I wondered what his sister had told him.

"Who's Chiron?" he asked. "I don't have his figurine."

"Our activities director," I said. "He's…well, you'll see.

"If those Hunter girls don't like him," Nico grumbled, "that's good enough for me. Let's go."

The second thing that surprised me about camp was how empty it was. I mean, I knew most half-bloods only trained during the summer. Just the year-rounders would be here—the ones who didn't have homes to go to, or would get attacked by monsters too much if they left. But there didn't even seem to be many of them, either.

I spotted Charles Beckendorf from the Hephaestus cabin stoking the forge outside the camp armory. The Stoll brothers, Travis and Connor, from the Hermes cabin, were picking the lock on the camp store. A few kids from the Ares cabin were having a snowball fight with the wood nymphs at the edge of the forest. That was about it. Even my old rival from the Ares cabin, Clarisse, didn't seem to be around.

The Big House was decorated with strings of red and yellow fireballs that warmed the porch but didn't seem to catch anything on fire. Inside, flames crackled in the hearth. The air smelled like hot chocolate. Mr. D, the camp director, and Chiron were playing a quiet game of cards in the parlor.

Chiron's brown beard was shaggier for the winter. His curly hair had grown a little longer. He wasn't posing as a teacher this year, so I guess he could afford to be casual. He wore a fuzzy sweater with a hoof print design on it, and he had a blanket on his lap that almost hid his wheelchair completely.

He smiled when he saw us. "Percy! Thalia! What a surprise seeing you here. I thought you said you would come next week?"

"Um, well, Grover found two new demigods in Maine," I explained. "I guess he didn't mention it to you."

"Ah," Chiron mused. "So, I assume that this is—"

"Nico di Angelo," I introduced. "He and his sister are half-bloods. I'm not so sure but they remind me of someone famous. I can't exactly pinpoint who, though."

Chiron breathed a sigh of relief. "You succeeded, then."

"Well…"

His smile melted. "What's wrong? And where are Luke and Annabeth?"

"Oh, dear," Mr. D said in a bored voice, "Not another one lost."

I'd been trying not to pay attention to Mr. D, but he was kind of hard to ignore in his neon orange leopard-skin warm-up suit and his purple running shoes. (Like Mr. D had ever run a day in his immortal life.) A golden laurel wreath was tilted sideways on his curly black hair, which must've meant he'd won the last hand of cards.

"What do you mean?" Thalia asked. "Who else is lost?"

Just then, Grover trotted into the room, grinning like crazy. He had a black eye and red lines on his face that looked like a slap mark. "The Hunters are all moved in!"

Chiron frowned. "The Hunters, eh? I see we have much to talk about." He glanced at Nico. "Grover, perhaps you should take our young friend to the den and show him our orientation film."

"But…Oh, right. Yes, sir."

"Orientation film?" Nico asked. "Is it G or PG? 'Cause Bianca is kinda strict—"

"It's PG-13," Grover said.

"Cool!" Nico happily followed him out of the room.

"Now," Chiron said to Thalia and me, "perhaps you two should sit down and tell us the whole story."

When we were done, Chiron turned to Mr. D. "We should launch a search for Annabeth and Luke immediately."

"I'll go," Thalia and I said at the same time.

Mr. D sniffed. "Certainly not!"

Thalia and I both started complaining, but Mr. D held up his hand. He had that purplish angry fire in his eyes that usually meant something bad and godly was going to happen if we didn't shut up.

"From what you have told me," Mr. D said, "we have broken even on this escapade. We have, ah, regrettably lost Annie Bell and Lucky—"

"Annabeth and Luke," Thalia corrected coldly.

"Yes, yes," he said. "And you procured a small annoying boy to replace them. So I see no point risking further half-bloods on a ridiculous rescue. The possibility is very great that this Annie girl and Lucky boy are dead."

I wanted to strangle Mr. D. It wasn't fair Zeus had sent him here to dry out as camp director for a hundred years. It was meant to be a punishment for Mr. D's bad behavior on Olympus, but it ended up being a punishment for all of us.

"Annabeth may be alive," Chiron said, but I could tell he was having trouble sounding upbeat. I knew that _he_ knew a lot about Annabeth. He had helped her with her relationship with her father, though not much had been accomplished from that. "She's very bright. If…if our enemies have her, she will try to play for time. She may even pretend to cooperate." He didn't say anything about Luke.

Thalia looked hesitant. "But...there's no real reason why Ethan would keep her around and alive. Unless it's bait for Percy and I... It's the same with Luke."

"Well, in that case," said Mr. D. "She will have to be smart enough to escape on her own or escape with Lucky Pastel."

I glared at Dionysus furiously. I doubted I could control my anger any more than I could now. I felt as if I was practically shaking in anger. I felt a slight shock at my wrist and realized sparks were coming off of Thalia. She looked furious...no, murderous.

She stood up from the table.

"Thalia." Chiron's tone was full of warning. Even an ADHD kid like me knew it wasn't safe mess with a god who seemed to be of a lesser caliber. They were always more powerful than the seemingly more powerful gods. But Thalia looked more murderous than I'd ever seen her before.

"You're glad to lose another camper," she said. "You'd like it if we all disappeared!"

Mr. D stifled a yawn. "You have a point?"

"Yeah," she growled. "Just because you were sent here as a punishment doesn't mean you have to be a lazy jerk! This is your civilization, too. Maybe you could try helping out a little!"

For a second, there was no sound except the crackle of the fire. The light reflected in Mr. D's eyes, giving him a sinister look. He opened his mouth to say something—probably a curse that would blast Thalia to smithereens—when Nico burst into the room, followed by Grover.

"SO COOL!" Nico yelled, holding his hands out to Chiron. "You're…you're a centaur!"

Chiron managed a nervous smile. "Yes, Mr. di Angelo, if you please. Though, I prefer to stay in human form in this wheelchair for, ah, first encounters."

"And, whoa!" He looked at Mr. D. "You're the wine dude? No way!"

Mr. D turned his eyes away from me and gave Nico a look of loathing. "The wine dude?"

"Dionysus, right? Oh, wow! I've got your figurine."

"My figurine."

"In my game, Mythomagic. And a holofoil card, too! And even though you've only got like five hundred attack points and everybody thinks you're the lamest god card, I totally think your powers are sweet!"

"Ah." Mr. D seemed truly perplexed, which probably saved Thalia's life.

"Well, that's…gratifying."

"Percy," Chiron said quickly, "you and Thalia go down to the cabins. Inform the campers we'll be playing capture the flag tomorrow evening."

"Capture the Flag?" Thalia asked. "But we don't have enough—"

"It is a tradition," Chiron said. "A friendly match, whenever the Hunters visit."

"Yeah," I muttered. "I bet it's real friendly."

Chiron jerked his head toward Mr. D, who was still frowning as Nico talked about how many defense points all the gods had in his game. "Run along now," Chiron told us.

"Come on, Thalia," I said. "Let's tell the others about Capture the Flag."

Before she could complain, I hauled her out of the Big House before Dionysus could remember he wanted to kill his half-sister.

"I know what it's like having a god on your bad side, Thalia," I told the daughter of Zeus. "Trust me, Dionysus will follow through with turning you into a dolphin or grape plant. That's what gods who can't fight with weapons hide behind, their powers."

"Let go of me," she argued. I let go of her once we got to a safe distance from the Big House. She glared at me. "I'm not stupid, Percy. It's just..." She looked out toward the basketball court. "It doesn't seem fair. I know, I know. _Life isn't fair_, but it doesn't mean everything has to be bad in my life."

I gave her a sympathetic look. "I understand, Thalia. Do you think I've had it fair my entire life? I've watched as _Gabe_"—I said the word like it was venom—"attempted seducing my mother every night, even though at the time I didn't know. I have had dreams where I learned he attempted to rape her many times. I watched Viola die right in front of my eyes. I could rant on about how much 'unfairness' I've experienced during life, but you wouldn't care. You learn to live with what you have, and some things may disappear, temporarily or permanently. If something bad happens...well, either kill the person who hurt you, ignore them for the rest of your life, or forgive them in the future. It really all depends on the person who hurts you. If they stick to hurting you, it will influence your decision. If they stop and attempt to apologize, consider forgiving them. As Hestia says, sticking together will help you get through any period of difficulty."

Thalia kept looking out at camp. Her eyes scanned the entire camp like a photocopier trying to scan a sheet to copy. I watched her sadly as her eyes turned solemn and mellow. She looked down.

"We'll get Annabeth and Luke back," I promised. "I just don't know where they are."

Over at the basketball court, a few of the Hunters were shooting hoops. One of them was arguing with a guy from the Ares cabin. The Ares kid had his hand on his sword and the Hunter girl looked like she was going to exchange her basketball for a bow and arrow any second.

"I'll break that up," Thalia said. "You circulate around the cabins. Tell everybody about capture the flag tomorrow."

"All right. You should be team captain."

She smiled and agreed before her expression turned serious. "Don't think this changes anything, though."

"I can try," I sighed. "And listen, I'm sorry about the fight back in our house. I wasn't really thinking and I was angry with you because you made fun of my intelligence. It's sort of a sore spot for me. I understand if you stay angry with me, and I probably deserve to be on your hate list for a while, but I hope you understand why I get pissed off so easily. Just because my father is Poseidon doesn't mean have Kelp for Brains."

"You let Annabeth call you Seaweed Brain," Thalia accused. "Since when have you yelled at her."

I looked down and stayed silent.

Thalia sighed again and she trudged off toward the court, where the Ares camper and the Hunter were trying to kill each other with a sword and a basketball.

* * *

The cabins were the weirdest collection of buildings you've ever seen. Zeus and Hera's big white-columned buildings, Cabins One and Two, stood in the middle, with five gods' cabins on the left and five goddesses' cabins on the right, so they all made a U around the central green and the barbecue hearth.

I made the rounds, telling everybody about capture the flag. I woke up some Ares kid from his midday nap and he yelled at me to go away. When I asked him where Clarisse was he said, "Went on a quest for Chiron. Top secret!"

"Is she okay?"

"Haven't heard from her in a month. She's missing in action. Like your butt's gonna be if you don't get outta here!"

I decided to leave before I ended up shoving his head up his own ass.

Finally I got to Cabin Three, the cabin of Poseidon. It was a low gray building hewn from sea stone, with shells and coral fossils imprinted in the rock. Inside, it was just as empty as always, except for my bunk. A Minotaur horn hung on the wall next to my pillow.

I took Annabeth's baseball cap out of my backpack and set it on my nightstand. I'd give it to her when I found her. And I _would_ find her. Luke better not change to the Titans side. And if he appeared to when Thalia and I would arrive, he'd better hope on his life that he's faking.

I took off my wristwatch and activated the shield. It creaked noisily as it spiraled out. Dr. Thorn's spikes had dented the brass in a dozen places. One gash kept the shield from opening all the way, so it looked like a pizza with two slices missing. The beautiful metal pictures that my brother had crafted were all banged up. In the picture of me and Annabeth fighting the Hydra, it looked like a meteor had made a crater in my head. I hung the shield on its hook, next to the Minotaur horn, but it was painful to look at now. Maybe Beckendorf from the Hephaestus cabin could fix it for me. He was the best armorsmith in the camp. I'd ask him at dinner.

I was staring at the shield when I noticed a strange sound—water gurgling—and I realized there was something new in the room. At the back of the cabin was a big basin of gray sea rock, with a spout like the head of a fish carved in stone. Out of its mouth burst a stream of water, a salt water spring that trickled into the pool. The water must've been hot, because it sent mist into the cold winter air like a sauna. It made the room feel warm and summery, fresh with the smell of the sea.

I stepped up to the pool. There was no note attached or anything, but I knew it could only be a gift from Poseidon.

I looked into the water and said, "Thanks, Dad."

The surface rippled. At the bottom of the pool, coins shimmered—a dozen or so golden drachma. I realized what the fountain was for. It was a reminder to keep in touch with my family and friends.

I opened the nearest window, and the wintry sunlight made a rainbow in the mist. Then I fished a coin out of the hot water.

"Iris, O Goddess of the Rainbow," I said, "accept my offering."

I tossed a coin into the mist and it disappeared. Then I realized I didn't know who to contact first.

Should I contact my father to thank him for the wonderful gift that he gave me in this fountain? But could you even send an Iris-message to a god? I'd never tried. Would it make them mad, like a sales call or something?

Then I thought about whether I should have tried contacting Luke or Annabeth, to see what kind of danger they were in. I hesitated, though. Surely someone would notice my face appearing out of nowhere and raise the alarm. I could only hope that my dreams would lead me to them.

Then I made up my mind.

"Show me Tyson," I requested. "At the forges of the Cyclopes."

The mist shimmered, and the image of my half brother appeared. He was surrounded in fire, which would've been a problem if he weren't a Cyclops. He was bent over an anvil, hammering a red-hot sword blade. Sparks flew and flames swirled around his body. There was a marble-framed window behind him, and it looked out onto dark blue water—the bottom of the ocean.

"Tyson!" I yelled.

He didn't hear me at first because of the hammering and the roar of the flames.

"TYSON!"

He turned, and his one enormous eye widened. His face broke into a crooked yellow grin. "Percy!"

He dropped the sword blade and ran at me, trying to give me a hug. The vision blurred and I instinctively lurched back. "Tyson, it's an Iris-message. I'm not really here."

"Oh." He came back into view, looking embarrassed. "Oh, I knew that. Yes."

"How are you?" I asked. "How's the job?"

His eye lit up. "Love the job! Look!" He picked up the hot sword blade with his bare hands. "I made this!"

"That's really cool."

"I wrote my name on it. Right there."

"Awesome. Listen, do you talk to Dad much?"

Tyson's smile faded. "Not much. Daddy is busy. He is worried about the war."

"What do you mean?"

Tyson sighed. He stuck the sword blade out the window, where it made a cloud of boiling bubbles. When Tyson brought it back in, the metal was cool. "Old sea spirits making trouble. Aigaios. Oceanus. Those guys."

"Ah." I knew what he was talking about. There were different rulers of the seas when my father wasn't around. Aigaios was an old god, a son of Pontus and Gaea, and he had fought on the side of the Titans when the Titanomachy occurred. Oceanus was a Titan himself, a son of the sky and earth, Ouranos and Gaea, and brother to Kronos. In the first Titanomachy he stayed neutral, despite the efforts of Kronos and Aigaios. The fact that he was allying himself with Kronos this time around wasn't a good thing.

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked.

Tyson shook his head sadly. "We are arming the mermaids. They need a thousand more swords by tomorrow." He looked at his sword blade and sighed. "Old spirits are protecting the bad boat."

"The _Princess Andromeda_?" I said. "Ethan's boat?"

"Yes. They make it hard to find. Protect it from Daddy's storms. Otherwise he would smash it."

"Smashing it would be good."

Tyson perked up, as if he'd just had another thought. "Annabeth! Is she there?"

"Oh, well..." My heart felt like a bowling ball.

Tyson thought Annabeth was just about the coolest thing since peanut butter (and he seriously loved peanut butter). I didn't have the heart to tell him she was missing. He'd start crying so bad he'd probably put out his fires. "Well, no…she's not here right now."

"Tell her hello!" He beamed. "Hello to Annabeth!"

"Okay." I fought back a lump in my throat. "I'll do that."

"And, Percy, don't worry about the bad boat. It is going away."

"What do you mean?"

"Panama Canal! Very far away."

I stared at a random spot thoughtfully. Why would Ethan take his demon-infested cruise ship all the way down there? The last time we'd seen him, he'd been cruising along the East Coast, recruiting half-bloods and training his monstrous army. I had a bad feeling, knowing that the Panama Canal was the link between the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean.

"All right," I said, not feeling reassured. "That's…good. I guess."

In the forges, a deep voice bellowed something I couldn't make out. Tyson flinched. "Got to get back to work! Boss will get mad. Good luck, Brother!"

"Okay, tell Dad—"

But before I could finish, the vision shimmered and faded. I was alone again in my cabin, feeling even lonelier than before.

* * *

I was pretty miserable at dinner that night.

I mean, the food was excellent as usual. You can't go wrong with barbecue, pizza, and never-empty soda goblets. The torches and braziers kept the outdoor pavilion warm, but we all had to sit with our cabin mates, which meant I was alone at the Poseidon table. Thalia sat alone at the Zeus table, but we couldn't sit together. Camp rules. At least the Hephaestus, Ares, and Hermes cabins had a few people each. Nico sat with the Stoll brothers, since new campers always got stuck in the Hermes cabin if their Olympian parent was unknown. The Stoll brothers seemed to be trying to convince Nico that poker was a much better game than Mythomagic. I hoped Nico didn't have any money to lose.

The only table that really seemed to be having a good time was the Artemis table. The Hunters drank and ate and laughed like one big happy family. Zoe sat at the head like she was the mama. She didn't laugh as much as the others, but she did smile from time to time. Her silver lieutenant's band glittered in the dark braids of her hair. I thought she looked a lot nicer when she smiled. Bianca di Angelo seemed to be having a great time. She was trying to learn how to arm wrestle from the big girl who'd picked a fight with the Ares kid on the basketball court. The bigger girl was beating her every time, but Bianca didn't seem to mind.

When we'd finished eating, Chiron made the customary toast to the gods and formally welcomed the Hunters of Artemis. The clapping was pretty half-hearted. Then he announced the "good will" capture-the-flag game for tomorrow night, which got a lot better reception.

Afterward, we all trailed back to our cabins for an early, winter lights out. I was exhausted, which meant I fell asleep easily. That was the good part. The bad part was, I had a nightmare, rather two nightmares, and even by my standards they were a whoppers.

Annabeth was on a dark hillside, shrouded in fog. It almost seemed like the Underworld, because I immediately felt claustrophobic and I couldn't see the sky above—just a close, heavy darkness, as if I were in a cave.

Annabeth struggled up the hill. Old broken Greek columns of black marble were scattered around, as though something had blasted a huge building to rums.

"Thorn!" Annabeth cried. "Where are you? Why did you bring me here?" She scrambled over a section of broken wall and came to the crest of the hill.

She gasped.

There was Luke. And he was in pain.

He was crumpled on the rocky ground, trying to rise. The blackness seemed to be thicker around him, fog swirling hungrily. His clothes were in tatters and his face was scratched and drenched with sweat, "Annabeth!" he called. "Help me! Please!"

She ran forward.

I stared shocked at Luke. What was he doing? How did he manage to get under _that_? I didn't understand what the blackness was and what it was doing to Luke. It was almost as if he were trying to hold up a cavern roof.

Annabeth had tears in her eyes. She reached down and touched Luke's face. She looked up with fear in her eyes, as if the cavern roof held a dark secret only she could see.

"What happened?" she asked.

"They left me here," Luke groaned. "Please. It's killing me."

I couldn't see what was wrong with him. He seemed to be struggling against some invisible curse, as though the fog were squeezing him to death.

"Luke," she whispered. "How did you get here? I thought you were with me?"

"I don't know," he said, his breaths ragged. "Help me, Annie."

Then the darkness above Luke began to crumble, like a cavern roof in an earthquake. Huge chunks of black rock began falling. Annabeth rushed in just as a crack appeared, and the whole ceiling dropped. She held it somehow—tons of rock. She kept it from collapsing on her and Luke just with her own strength. It was impossible. She shouldn't have been able to do that.

Luke rolled free, gasping. "Thanks," he managed.

"Help me hold it," Annabeth groaned.

Luke caught his breath. His face was covered in grime and sweat. He rose unsteadily. Then randomly, he pulled a vial out of his pocket. That was when I got an eerie feeling. Luke opened the vial, brought it to his mouth, and began drinking. I realized too late and I attempted cursing my heart out at "Luke." Unfortunately, my voice didn't work in the dream.

Luke shimmered and his form began to change. His look became more scarred and less handsome. A round shape grew over one of his eyes and his hair turned black.

The figure that appeared in Luke's place was someone who I considered a traitor. Now, I couldn't even describe what I considered that boy. Rage built in my body slowly, like the slow progress of snow collecting on the ground. My vision could have turned red had I been awake.

"YOU!" snarled Annabeth, her voice trembling.

"Oh, don't worry," Ethan said. "Your help is on the way. It's all part of the plan. In the meantime, try not to die."

The ceiling of darkness began to crumble again, pushing Annabeth against the ground.

Ethan just casually walked away, as if threatening someone to their death was normal. Then my dream shifted.

I was in some sort of room, somewhere underground. There was a vision in a fountain of what was happening to Annabeth, a bunch of figures watching it. The tallest humanoid there was bound by handcuffs and chains. He was cursing them all.

"I'll kill you all, you hear me?" Luke growled. "You do _not_ touch Annabeth."

Then a loud resonating voice laughed. It didn't sound anything like Kronos'. Kronos' voice was cold and raspy, like a knife being scraped against the rocks. This one sounded louder, like a bass guitar being played with distortion.

"Luke Castellan," he said. "You could have avoided this if you had joined us. I know you love your petty little girlfriend, though there is one person who you hold closer to yourself than her." He laughed again. His laugh was less scary than Kronos' but it was much louder and it echoed along the walls of the underground room as if a dozen bouncy balls had been thrown around it randomly.

"You let her go," Luke snarled. "You will let her go if it's the last thing I do."

"So cliché, Mr. Castellan," the voice said. "It is somewhat disappointing you are not on our side, Luke. You have a good sense of humor and are a very skilled fighter. You could easily take on Jackson with a little bit more training. I am sure my lord will deem him killable soon, hopefully when he takes the bait."

"What bait?"

The man chuckled. "Your little girlfriend is his best friend, is she not? He and the daughter of Zeus will be determined to save her. Oh, yes. The son of Poseidon is listening to our very conversation right now. He knows what has happened to the daughter of Athena."

I couldn't tell if the man speaking turned in my direction, but Luke turned toward me. He squinted for a second before his eyes widened. "Percy! Are you there?"

I opened my mouth to speak but no sound came out.

"But after all," the booming voice spoke, "he _is_ in a dream. Unless this were an empathy link, he is not able to speak." I saw as a shadow loomed down and a man appeared in the vision.

He had dark slicked back hair, eyes like stone, light brown skin, and a muscular build. His eyes reminded me of someone, but I couldn't pinpoint _who_ he reminded me of. I couldn't tell which Titan he was. (I assumed he was a Titan.) His eyes held a cruel light, something I swear only Ares has ever shown. He looked to be muscular beyond godly capabilities and probably the only Titan who could fend off one of the Big Three...aside from Kronos.

"So what will it be demigod?" he asked me. "Your friend, Luke, will either be on the Titans' side or dead within a week or so. Your best friend, Annabeth, will either be dead tomorrow or dead within a week or so. Choose wisely, Percy. Will you sacrifice your friends to stop the rise of Othrys or will you become the prophecy child now? Will you come here?"

Panic surged through my brain as the booming voice laughed and laughed. The dream slowly faded out, the Titan's laughing getting quieter and quieter until it was no more.

When I woke, my eyes shot open and I sat bolt upright in bed, clawing at the sheets. There was no sound in my cabin except the gurgle of the saltwater spring. The clock on my nightstand read just after midnight.

It was only a dream, but I was sure of three things: Annabeth was in danger, Luke was being blackmailed, and a Titan had escaped his prison.

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

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**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	8. The Haunting Mist

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

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* * *

**Περσεύς 7**

**The Haunting Mist**

The next morning after breakfast, I told Grover about my dream. We sat in the meadow watching the satyrs chase the wood nymphs through the snow. The nymphs had promised to kiss the satyrs if they got caught, but they hardly ever did. Usually the nymph would let the satyr get up a full head of steam, then she'd turn into a snow-covered tree and the poor satyr would slam into it headfirst and get a pile of snow dumped on him.

When I told Grover my nightmare, he started twirling his finger in his shaggy leg fur.

"A cave ceiling collapsed on her?" he asked.

"Yeah. What the heck does that mean?"

Grover shook his head. "I don't know. But after what Zoe dreamed—"

"Whoa. What do you mean? Zoe had a dream like that?"

"I…I don't know, exactly. About three in the morning she came to the Big House and demanded to talk to Chiron. She looked really panicked."

"Wait, how do you know this?"

Grover blushed. "I was sort of camped outside the Artemis cabin."

I raised an eyebrow. "And why, might I ask, were you doing that?"

"Just to be, you know, near them," he admitted.

"You're a stalker with hooves."

"I am not! Anyway, I followed her to the Big House and hid in a bush and watched the whole thing. She got real upset when Argus wouldn't let her in. It was kind of a dangerous scene.

I tried to imagine that. Argus was the head of security for camp—a big blond dude with eyes all over his body. He rarely showed himself unless something serious was going on. I wouldn't want to place bets on a fight between him and Zoe Nightshade.

"What did she say?" I asked.

Grover grimaced. "Well, she starts talking really old-fashioned when she gets upset, so it was kind of hard to understand. But something about Artemis being in trouble and needing the Hunters. And then she called Argus a boil-brained lout…I think that's a bad thing. And then he called her—"

"Whoa, wait. How could Artemis be in trouble?"

"I…well, finally Chiron came out in his pajamas and his horse tail in curlers and—"

"He wears curlers in his tail?"

Grover covered his mouth.

"Sorry," I said. "Go on."

"Well, Zoe said she needed permission to leave camp immediately. Chiron refused. He reminded Zoe that the Hunters were supposed to stay here until they received orders from Artemis. And she said…" Grover gulped. "She said 'How are we to get orders from Artemis if Artemis is lost?'"

I tried not to swallow the growing lump in my throat. I could visualize the puzzle pieces now. I was pretty sure that Artemis being "lost" and Annabeth being put under the cavern roof was connected in some way or another.

I pursed my lips in thought. "But, who could kidnap _Artemis_? A Titan escaped...do you recognize the description I told you? Which Titan is that?"

Grover frowned. "Well, from what you told me...he would kind of look like—" He froze for a second. "Zoe." He turned to me with fear in his eyes. "Do you think she's a spy for the Titans? She could be!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I help my hands up to stop his ranting. "Let's not jump to conclusions here, Grover. Do you know what kind of Titan has dark, volcanic eyes, black hair and has a muscular build?"

"Um, well, all of them should have muscular builds," said Grover. "Black hair is kind of a given. All gods, except for Artemis, have black or brown hair. Same with minor gods and Titans and Primidorials. I'm not so sure about his volcanic eyes though." He tapped his chin and looked upwards in a thinking posture.

"Well, we know it can't be Coeus, otherwise there would be bad repercussions on him," I said. "I don't think it's Krios either. I mean, he's not a very strong Titan. That leaves us with Hyperion, Iapetus and Oceanus."

"What about second-generation Titans?" Grover asked. "Like Prometheus, Epimetheus, Pallas, Perses, Astraeus and Atlas."

I thought about all of those options. Prometheus could have devised the plan if he joined back with the Titans, but he would never carry it out. Epimetheus wouldn't be a threat. Pallas was defeated by Pallas Athena, so I wasn't worried about Artemis being taken by him. Perses could have been a possibility. Astraeus is a weak Titan. Atlas...Atlas was the general of the Titan army during the first Titanomachy. He was a high candidate to have kidnapped Artemis, but I couldn't be sure. Iapetus could have escaped from his prison in the Underworld, and the god of morality was much more powerful than his son Atlas. It didn't mean he was stronger, though... Hyperion was the strongest Titan following Atlas and Kronos as the Titan of the East. The east is considered powerful, and the god of light was a strong fighter.

All the possibilities swirled in my head like a whirlpool.

"I don't know," Grover said. "I think somebody would know if Kronos had re-formed. The gods would be more nervous. But still, it's weird, you having a nightmare the same night as Zoe. It's almost like—"

"They're connected," I told him.

Over in the frozen meadow, a satyr skidded on his hooves as he chased after a redheaded tree nymph. She giggled and held out her arms as he ran toward her. _Pop_! She turned into a Scotch pine and he kissed the trunk at top speed,

"Ah, love," Grover said dreamily.

I thought about Zoe's nightmare, which she'd had only a few hours after mine.

"I've got to talk to Zoe," I said.

"I don't know about that, Percy," Grover warned. "The last time I talked with them I ended up with a black eye and multiple slaps to the face. You'd probably get a worse punishment because with pants they can easily tell you're a guy."

"I'll still try," I said and got up. "Thanks, Grover. I'll see you later if I come back even half-dead.

* * *

"Get away from me, _boy_," Zoe hissed.

"I'm just trying to have a freaking civilized conversation," I growled. "But you're making it _so gods damned hard_! Why the hell won't you listen to me for one second? Just because of my sex?"

"This is exactly what a _male_ is," she snapped. "Incompetent, impatient, a total lack of respect for women—"

"Me? I have a total lack of respect for you?" I started laughing. It only made the lieutenant of Artemis angrier. "_I_ have a total lack of respect for you?" I laughed harder. "You know, for an ass-kissing maniac, you _do_ have a sense of humor."

Zoe pulled out a hunting knife. "Thou will not dare threaten me again, _boy_, for it will be thy last sensation."

"You sound like Zeus," I grinned. "You know that Zeus is a paranoid freak, right?"

The Hunter growled in sync with the thunder that rumbled in the afternoon sky. "This is thy last chance, Jackson," she threatened.

"Whatever, Nightshade." I waved her aside. "I guess you don't want help to save Lady Artemis."

Her eyes narrowed. "What do _you_ know?"

My eyes widened and my mouth formed a perfect O shape. "_Di immortales!_ You actually said _you_ properly! This is a revelation for all of mankind, except for the fact that you aren't the child of a god, at least, I'll assume it is that until you tell me the truth."

"Do not mock me, _boy_," she snarled.

"Wow," I taunted. "You're not following through with your threats." I shook my head and chided, "Didn't Artemis teach you that all males are bad and that you shouldn't give them pity? Well, you know what? I'm going to play this game nice. I came here for a civilized conversation with you regarding the disappearance of Artemis and my friends, Annabeth and Luke."

She glared at me ferociously but put her knife away. "Carry on."

"Thank you."

We were in the mess hall, the sun already beginning to disappear out of the winter sky. Apollo must have been tired that day as the day still felt new and fresh. The cold, winter breeze blew through my Camp Half-Blood T-shirt and black no-name hoodie. The fresh air mixed with the sea breeze blowing from Long Island Sound from the north and relinquished a wonderful smell to me.

"Now, Grover, being the stalker he is, found out that you went to the Big House late at night to complain about a dream you had," I started.

The Hunter had her eyes narrowed so much it seemed as though she was squinting. "The satyr _'stalked' _me? What does _'stalk' _mean?"

I rolled my eyes. "It means to stealthily pursuit someone. He's basically trying to watch you without you knowing. It's a weird thing with satyrs. Anyways, he told me that you said Artemis was 'lost,' or what it seemed to mean to us, kidnapped."

Zoe nodded tersely.

"Good. Now my dream was that my friend, who by the way is a female and is still a virgin, was tricked by Ethan Nakamura, a son of Nemesis who joined Kronos two years ago," I explained. "She was trapped under some sort of cavern roof."

"Cavern roof?"

"I don't know exactly, but after, my dream switched and a Titan regarded me. Grover said my description of him makes him look like you." I analyzed the Hunter's face. "Yeah, he does look sort of like you."

Zoe's face paled. "He looks like me?" she asked.

I gave her a suspicious look. "Yes, he does. Grover suspected that you were a spy for Kronos, but if you were you would admit it, right? Your hunting leader has been captured by the Titans. If you are so worried for her, you would not be a spy for Kronos, would you?"

Her eyes flashed dangerously. "I am no traitor, _boy_."

Then I rolled my eyes. "Would you stop referring to me as _boy_?" I said agitated. "It's starting to get annoying."

"Then do not ask idiotic questions," she snapped. "If thou are to talk to me about Artemis, get to the point."

"I have a feeling Annabeth is bait, not just for Thalia and I, but for Artemis," I told Zoe.

"What are you talking about?"

"Artemis knows that Annabeth and Luke have disappeared," I explained. "She couldn't care less about Luke, but Annabeth is a maiden who could be used against Artemis' weakness. Unfortunately, the goddess of the moon _does_ have a weakness: maidens. If they lure Artemis to wherever they are, which I assume is Mount Othrys, she will notice Annabeth and try to save her from dying. These two events have to be connected."

Zoe bit her lip worriedly. It was the first time she'd been so open with her feelings. I could tell that she was getting more worried as the conversation continued, but now it was clearly written on her face. "That does not sound good. I told Chiron that he should have given permission to us to leave to find Artemis, but the old horse wouldn't let me."

"Exactly," I said. "Maybe I can get to the oracle to find an answer to our problem."

"No, thy won't," said Zoe sternly. "I know what I need to do, and that does not include you. However..." She stopped for a moment, and her face twisted into one of distaste. "I must..._thank_ you for telling me of the connection." She looked at the table silently before getting up. "Goodbye, Perseus."

"Hey, hey, hey!" I stopped her. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"Leaving this dump and saving my lady," she answered. "And do not dare to tell Chiron about this. If thou do, I will personally kill thou during Capture the Flag."

"It doesn't matter if I tell you or not, Argus will still stop you," I told her. "It's the winter. Anyone will be able to notice if you are gone or not. There's only, what, fifteen campers? How can you pull thirteen Hunters out of this place, which is _not_ a dump, without people noticing that you're gone? Even Dionysus, that lazy prick, can tell if you are. Besides, I want to come save Luke and Annabeth and Artemis, too."

Zoe glared at me. "Maybe if thou learns to be more respectful and less arrogant. I once trusted men like thee, a _hero_. _He_ was the reason why I joined the Hunt. If Artemis sees potential in thou, I—I suppose I should too. After all, she is our patron and leader."

"Wait, what potential."

Zoe rolled her eyes. "Dense fool," she said. "Now I will be gone."

Without another word, she left the mess hall despite my best attempts at stopping her. But the only reason why she left was because she left me pondering with a question in my head: what potential did I have? More questions popped in not long after. Why would Artemis suddenly change her mind about me after despising me a couple years back? But Zoe _was_ right, and as much as I hated it, she had a point. I was a little disrespectful and arrogant, but that came with being Poseidon's son. I was disobedient, which made me disrespectful at times. There was no containing me once I was angry or accustomed to something. I was also arrogant. I blame the campers. They were the ones who kept feeding my ego telling me that I was the best sword fighter to live in centuries, possibly even ever. They called me ultra powerful...but I never felt that way.

I would never live up to the intelligence of my quarter-brother Theseus. I would never live up to the title of Huntsman that my half-brother Orion did. I would never be the strongest demigod ever to live like Heracles. I would never be cunning like Odysseus. I would never found a strong military base like my namesake, Perseus.

I felt utterly useless at times, like now. Greek heroes were loners, never able to live their life out happily. I assume I fit under that category. The only hero who did was Perseus. I didn't think I would ever reach there. No matter what people told me, I knew that my actions would be the downfall of my friends. I could only hope to die protecting them rather than them dying to let me live.

I looked morosely at Long Island Sound. The water glittered as the sun poked through the clouds. Apollo seemed to smile down on it, the reflection of his teeth shining in the water. I looked around camp hoping that none of this would go away on me. Hopefully Kronos wouldn't attack this camp...but I wasn't a fool. I knew he would, just as much as I knew Kronos was rising _now_. Somehow, in some way, he would rise and his essence would be brought up to the surface.

I remembered what Ethan had said: _Piece by piece we assemble his body. Every demigod that joins our cause, another piece appears of his existence_.

A long time had passed since Ethan said that. I was sure they would be completed soon. War was definitely approaching the horizon, dawn about to occur.

I stood up from my place at the mess hall and walked back down to the cabins. I went and sat by the hearth at the center. Hestia was nowhere to be seen. Angrily (and stupidly), I thrust my hand into the hearth, allowing the flames to lick at my skin. It felt warm at first, but then my hand became searing hot, like I was forging a sword out of my skin. I yanked my hand out.

"Yup, it's on fire," I said before yelping like an idiot.

I closed my eyes and tried focusing on water. My hand felt like it had been held in lava for at least a day. The pain of fire seared up my arm, hopefully not damaging nerves. I focused harder on the water, especially the snow in the air. I tried bending the flakes to my will, melting them into water. I had done it once back in Winnipeg a long time ago, but I hadn't tried it since.

Suddenly, I could feel a change in the air before all of the snow around me melted and was soaked up into my arm. The fire was quickly put out, and I could feel the water trying to mend my wound.

"That was fairly stupid of you," a voice said from behind me. I turned around to see Thalia looking at me.

"Hello, cap'n," I greeted. "What's the plan for Capture the Flag?" I asked, anxious to change the subject. I didn't want to prove to Thalia that I _was_, in fact, stupid.

She just rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You _are_ stupid, Percy. And just saying...I don't _like_ you anymore. I'm totally over you." She said it with so much seriousness I almost believed her. _Almost_.

"Whatever, Thals," I said. "I know you're just not forgiving me. As long as we can still talk and stay...friends?" I knew she shouldn't forgive me, but I hoped that only meant in terms of our romantic relationship.

"We'll see," she answer after extended silence.

"Anyways, what are you doing here? Did you purposely come here to talk to me or were you just passing by when I idiotically stuck my hand in the fire?"

"Walking by...but that melting the snow...that's freaky. Your father is the god of the _sea_, but you have powers over fresh water."

"Yeah...I don't get it either."

We both laughed a little.

It felt good to release some pressure off my chest. It was as if I were holding the weight of the sky, my burdens, past and actions coming back to haunt me. I also hoped that time would come quickly. It took me a terrible event to realize that Thalia meant more to me than I thought. I was too stupid and blind to realize that she had turned a blind eye to Luke and focused on me.

A conch shell blew in the distance.

"Looks like it's time for dinner," Thalia sighed. "See you during C.T.F." Quickly, she departed.

"That's if the Hunters get caught trying to sneak out," I answered to no one. After enjoying silence for a second, I said, "Eh. Whatever. Catch them, Mr. D. That way I can beat the crap out of those Hunters.

* * *

It turns out Chiron caught them packing.

He apparently used some sort of philosophical trick on them using Artemis' quotes against them. At least, that's what I got from the Stolls messed up explanation. They said he brought out a magic genie which teleported them to a whole new world in which he showed them a short film about what would happen if they went out. Then after two hours in that world, they came back to this one in what was five seconds. Therefore, the Hunters were scared into thinking that saving Artemis was too dangerous.

I knew that was bullshit the moment I heard it. The Hunters would do anything to get their leader back, especially Zoe.

Either way, I was seriously ready to beat the Hunters at capture the flag. It was going to be a small game: only thirteen Hunters, including Bianca di Angelo, and about the same number of campers.

Zoe Nightshade looked pretty upset. She kept glancing resentfully at Chiron, like she couldn't believe he was making her do this. The other Hunters didn't look too happy, either. Unlike last night, they weren't laughing or joking around. They just huddled together in the dining pavilion, whispering nervously to each other as they strapped on their armor. Some of them even looked like they'd been crying. I guess Zoe had told them about her nightmare.

On our team, we had Beckendorf and two other Hephaestus guys, a few from the Ares cabin (though it still seemed strange that Clarisse wasn't around), the Stoll brothers and Nico from Hermes cabin, and a few Aphrodite kids. It was weird that the Aphrodite cabin wanted to play. Usually they sat on the sidelines, chatted, and checked their reflections in the river and stuff, but when they heard we were fighting the Hunters, they were raring to go.

"I'll show them 'love is worthless,'" Silena Beauregard grumbled as she strapped on her armor. "I'll pulverize them!"

"It's okay, Silena," Beckendorf said, trying to calm her down. "We'll pulverize them, just watch out. I don't want you getting hurt."

"Aww," she cooed. "You're so sweet, Charlie. But you don't have to worry about me. I know what I'm doing." She tried strapping her chest plate on but ended up breaking a nail because she was being too rough. "Ow!" she exclaimed. "Ugh, stupid nails. Charlie, could you help me with this?"

Beckendorf smiled as he helped Silena put on her armor. "No problem, Silena. You don't seem to want to fix your nail this time."

Silena slapped Beckendorf's chest plate playfully. "You know I'm not _obsessed _with my looks."

He gave her a pointed look. She gave in to the pressure. "Okay, fine. I do! But it's not always a bad thing."

Beckendorf chuckled at her pout. "I never said it was."

"Percy!" Thalia called.

She was just fixing on her armor and was walking towards me. When she reached me, she brought out her spear and Aegis. The shield sprang out and made me jump a little. Just because I faced the actual monster didn't mean I couldn't be scared of the face on the shield. It wasn't that bad, but the face was just _sooo ugly_.

"I'll take the offense," Thalia volunteered. "You take defense."

"Why don't we work together on offense and let everyone else defend?" I suggested. "That way, they have to get through _all_ of camp except for us and then we'll easily take the flag."

Thalia scowled. "As much as I hate to admit it, Zoe is a very skilled fighter. She could take on all of the campers on her own in her own special way before we could take out the Hunters. It is unfortunate that they are actually skilled to a certain degree. Now, we're going to go with my plan. Is that alright with you?"

"Yeah, sure," I lied, my hopes of avoiding defense getting crushed.

"Cool." Thalia turned to help some of the Aphrodite kids, who were having trouble suiting up their armor without breaking their nails. Nico di Angelo ran up to me with a big grin on his face.

"Percy, this is awesome!" His blue-feathered bronze helmet was falling in his eyes, and his breastplate was about six sizes too big. I wondered if there was any way I'd looked that ridiculous when I'd first arrived. Unfortunately, I probably had.

Nico lifted his sword with effort. "Do we get to kill the other team?"

"Unfortunately...no."

"But the Hunters are immortal, right?"

"That's only if they don't fall in battle. Besides—"

"It would be awesome if we just, like, resurrected as soon as we were killed, so we could keep fighting, and—"

"Nico, this is serious. These are real swords and weapons. Trust me, they can hurt..._a lot_."

He stared at me, a little disappointed, but I meant what I said. I hated these Hunters as much as Thalia did, which was a lot, but cooperation was the only way. So, I held my head high and respected them for what they believed in.

I patted Nico on the shoulder. "Hey, it's cool. Just follow the team. Stay out of Zoe's way. We'll have a blast."

Chiron's hoof thundered on the pavilion floor.

"Heroes!" he called. "You know the rules! The creek is the boundary line. Blue team—Camp Half-Blood—shall take the west woods. Hunters of Artemis—red team—shall take the east woods. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. No intentional maiming, please! All magic items are allowed. To your positions!"

"Sweet," Nico whispered next to me. "What kind of magic items? Do I get one?"

I was about to break it to him that he didn't, when Thalia said, "Blue team! Follow me!"

They cheered and followed.

"Aren't you going to help lead?" asked Nico.

I shook my head. "I'm going to let Thalia take the reins for this one. I just hope we don't lose. I don't like the Hunters."

"Tell me about it," Nico grumbled.

We set our flag at the top of Zeus's Fist. It's this cluster of boulders in the middle of the west woods that, if you look at it just the right way, looks like a huge fist sticking out of the ground. If you look at it from any other side, it looks like a pile of enormous deer droppings, but Chiron wouldn't let us call the place the Poop Pile, especially after it had been named for Zeus, who doesn't have much of a sense of humor.

Anyway, it was a good place to set the flag. The top boulder was twenty feet tall and really hard to climb, so the flag was clearly visible, like the rules said it had to be, and it didn't matter that the guards weren't allowed to stand within ten yards of it.

I set Nico on guard duty with Beckendorf and the Stoll brothers, figuring he'd be safely out of the way.

"We'll send out a decoy to the left," Thalia told the team. "Silena, you lead that."

"Got it!"

"Take Laurel and Jason. They're good runners. Make a wide arc around the Hunters, attract as many as you can. I'll take the main raiding party around to the right and catch them by surprise."

Everybody nodded. It sounded good, and Thalia said it with such confidence you couldn't help but believe it would work.

Thalia looked at me. "Anything to add, Percy?"

"Um, well, I guess I'll take Zoe. If any of you see her, shout and I'll come to your aid. Keep sharp on defense, though. We've got four guards and two scouts. Don't underestimate these Hunters. They are good fighters and very accurate with bows and arrows."

"Pussies," an Ares kid snorted.

"Hey!" I shouted. "They're skilled in long-ranged combat. It doesn't mean they're pussies. Keep your chin up and hold respect for your enemies. If you become overconfident, it will be the end of you."

The son of Ares grumbled under his breath.

Thalia nodded at me reassuringly, which kind of messed up the whole _I'm-not-forgiving-you_ idea. "Now"—she turned to the rest of the crowd—"is everybody clear?

Everybody nodded. We broke into our smaller groups. The horn sounded, and the game began.

Silena's group disappeared into the woods on the left. Thalia's group gave it a few seconds, then darted off toward the right.

I waited for something to happen. I climbed Zeus' Fist and had a good view over the forest. I remembered how the Hunters had stormed out of the woods when they fought the manticore, and I was prepared for something like that—one huge charge that could overwhelm us. But nothing happened.

I caught a glimpse of Silena and her two scouts. They ran through a clearing, followed by five of the Hunters, leading them deep into the woods and away from Thalia. The plan seemed to be working. Then I spotted another clump of Hunters heading to the right, bows ready. They must've spotted Thalia.

"What's happening?" Nico demanded, trying to climb up next to me.

My mind was racing. Thalia would never get through, but the Hunters were divided. With that many on either flank, their center had to be wide open. I resisted the temptation to rush down the center to attack.

I turned to the Stolls and Beckendorf. "Hold the fort with Nico. I'll be back soon."

"Where are you going?" asked Beckendorf.

"To get Mark," I said. "He'll be happy to have an attempt at getting the flag."

With that, I jumped off of Zeus' Fist, and shoulder-rolled perfectly. I sprinted into the forest looking for Mark, one of Clarisse's brothers. I heard a distant clashing of metals, then a shout and a girly scream.

I whirled around a tree and burst into a small clearing where Zoe and another Hunter were hanging Mark from the branch of a tree. He was cursing them to Tartarus, but the Hunters couldn't care less. The good thing was that they hadn't noticed me yet.

I pulled out Triametalla, activated it, and threw it at the rope they hung him from. My switchblade sliced through the rope like it was butter and flew at least twenty feet past where Mark was. The son of Ares landed on the ground painfully, but got up and held his sword threateningly at Zoe's companion.

I uncapped Riptide. "Mark, go for the flag! I got these two. But if you don't mind, give me my switchblade."

"Flag time it is," he grinned. He turned and sprinted towards where my switchblade landed. Zoe's companion attempted firing an arrow at him, but I stepped forward and slashed her bow right in half.

She growled, but I quickly turned away from her and blocked an attack from Zoe. She had her hunting knives out, but I wasn't afraid. She pushed on as her friend got her own hunting knives out to double team me.

The problem was that they each had a pair of hunting knives. Since the two blades were smaller than my long sword, Zoe and her companion were much more versatile than I was. Zoe attacked me ruthlessly, but I never gave in. I sensed a presence coming near me, so I back-flipped and grabbed my switchblade out of midair. I landed on the ground heavily, sending out a shockwave of earth from where I landed.

Zoe and her companion stumbled a little and I took that advantage. I easily disarmed Zoe's companion with the hilt of my sword before kicking her backwards with a snap kick.

Zoe growled. "Phoebe! Get the flag! I'll handle the _boy_."

"Very well," Phoebe replied and burst into the forest.

I gritted my teeth. "Beckendorf!" I screamed. "Hunter incoming!"

I wasn't sure how loud I was, but Zoe seemed a little stunned at my shouts. I swung Riptide at her in a threatening motion. The three-foot-long sword glinted in the growing darkness. A soft, warm glow emanated from it.

We circled around each other for a little while, sizing each other up. I tried to analyze her stance and fighting style. Her fighting with hunting knives was rather similar to the way I had fought on the streets. She would go completely offensive. By the looks of things, she wouldn't tire out easily. She stayed on her toes and made sure that she could move quickly.

Meanwhile, I took up my new fighting stance. I held my ground, my weight on my heels. I held my sword pointed to the ground while I kept my knife in icepick grip.

Zoe made the first move.

She lunged at me, swinging her knives wildly. But they weren't amateur swings. They were wild, but seemed to be planned. It was as though I knew that she always attacked at these positions when fighting in blade combat. She swung at my eyes, my shoulders, my wrists, my stomach area and my "tenders."

Those were all important spots. The eyes are what I use to see. My shoulders help my swings, and so do my wrists. The stomach is just a spot where a cut could be made that do not seem fatal, but is fatal. My "tenders" is something that is only affected because I'm a guy. If I were a female, I wouldn't have that problem. Instead, I'd have to deal with guys trying to rape me just because they were the ones to put it in.

After what seemed like a flurry of a million strikes, Zoe landed a thin cut along the side of my arm. I growled and pushed her back. I did a spinning strike, swiping with Anaklusmos and then following up with a slash with Triametalla. I followed that up with a spinning sweep to trip Zoe up. Almost like a cobra, she leaped over the sweep and landed on top of me. She stabbed down with her knife, but I grabbed her wrist letting go of Anaklusmos. She tried hacking my hand off with her other knife, but I parried it with Triametalla. Then I stuck my knee under her gut and pushed up. She fell over to the side and I attacked her.

With my left foot, I stepped on her right hand, pinning it to the ground. I kicked her left hand hard sending her weapons flying. Wincing, I said, "Sorry, Zoe. It's for the game."

To finish her off, I bent down and knocked her out cold with the butt of my knife.

Panting and catching my breath I grabbed Anaklusmos. I capped the pen and put it back in my pocket. I breathed soothingly to control my ragged breaths. I hadn't gotten a fighter as good as Zoe since I last fought Thalia. And we rarely challenged each other in the arena anymore.

I switched my blade off and put Triametalla back in my pocket. Once I re-caught my breath, I thought about running away and joining Thalia to help retrieve the flag, but I looked down at the Hunter and realized that in our short skirmish I'd wounded her quite a bit. I bit my lip and made choice that would've cost me my life had Artemis been here.

After retrieving her bow and hunting knives, I picked Zoe up and snuck through the forest, making sure I wasn't seen by any of the Hunters. I made my way toward the creek that divided the forest and dipped Zoe into the creek water. I made sure that her face was above water, but I dunked the rest of her body in the water. Then I closed my eyes and concentrated.

I thought about resurging her with new energy so that she didn't feel tired and worn out after the game. She had enough to worry about with Artemis being gone. I doubted she could've gone with a few cuts and bruises no matter how tough she was.

Some might ask why I would do this when I hate the Hunters. Well...I thought doing something nice for others would be kind and I didn't feel like abandoning the girl in the middle of the forest. Then I laid her on the ground next to the river and sat cross-legged, waiting for her to wake up.

As soon as she began stirring, the conch shell blew and the game was marked over. I got up to see who had won and saw that Thalia was being carried by a couple of the Hunters in a net. I assumed that Phoebe had managed to take down the Stolls and Beckendorf before grabbing the flag.

Chiron appeared out of the woods, looking grim. He had the Stoll brothers on his back, and it looked as if both of them had taken some nasty whacks to the head. Connor Stoll had two arrows sticking out of his helmet like antennae.

"The Hunters win!" Chiron announced without pleasure. Then he muttered, "For the fifty-sixth time in a row."

"What...what happened?" Zoe asked groggily as she woke. Then her senses sharpened and she leaped at me. I swiftly dodged to the side and held my hands up.

"Stop, Zoe. The Hunters won, though I did my job, which was to keep you in check."

A furious looking Thalia was let loose from her net and I turned to see her glaring at me. She smelled like rotten eggs, and she was so mad that blue sparks flickered on her armor. Everybody cringed and backed up because of Aegis. "Perseus Jackson! You knew that the Hunters are skilled yet you still let one of them get the flag."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "I said that my job was to handle Zoe. I told you that I would stop _her_, and only her. I did my job. Zoe didn't get the flag. It was Phoebe who got it. Would you stop being so accusatory?"

"Come here now," she barked. I grudgingly followed her orders. When I got within arm's length, she slapped me and kicked my gut.

With the extra electricity flickering on her armor and all over her body, she sent me flying backwards ten feet into the water. Some of the campers gasped. A couple of the Hunters stifled laughs.

"Sorry!" Thalia said, turning pale. "I didn't mean to—"

I slowly stood up. "It's fine, Thalia."

Thalia gave up trying to be furious and settled with pissed. "I...whatever."

I acknowledged her apology, but turned on the Hunters with as much anger as I felt towards Mr. D, which was a lot. "Laughing at my misery, huh? It wouldn't be so funny if it were you being blasted ten feet backwards."

"We're not stupid _males_," a Hunter glared indignantly. "We wouldn't be _stupid_ enough to get ourselves in the position you are in now."

Sure, I had forgiven Thalia for calling me stupid, but hearing it from the Hunters made it sound derogatory and de-meaningful. Anger washed over my ears and I doused the Hunter in water from head to toe. Her companions standing next to her got soaked as well. They all growled at me and stepped forward. Before they could do anything, Zoe stepped in and gave me a cold look.

"Thou shall not hurt any of the Hunters," she snarled. "If thou do, Artemis will make sure thou shalt pay for it."

"Then maybe you should stop _fucking_ insulting me and speak modern English," I roared. "I'm getting seriously pissed off with your sexist attitude. Maybe if you knew compromises, then you would know that there are places to meet in between. I understand that many men are selfish bastards, but not every single one of us are. There is a point halfway that we can meet, but so far, we've decided to stay on our opposite sides."

It looked as if the Hunters were about to jump me when Thalia gasped. I noticed she was looking at something in the forest, as if something scary was coming.

Someone…something was approaching. It was shrouded in a murky green mist, but as it got closer, the campers and Hunters gasped.

"This is impossible," Chiron said. I'd never heard him sound so nervous. "It… she has never left the attic. Never."

And yet, the withered mummy that held the Oracle shuffled forward until she stood in the center of the group. Mist curled around our feet, turning the snow a sickly shade of green.

None of us dared move. Then her voice hissed inside my head. Apparently everyone could hear it, because several clutched their hands over the ears.

_I am the spirit of Delphi_, the voice said. _Speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python_.

The Oracle regarded me with its cold, dead eyes. Then she turned unmistakably toward Zoe Nightshade. _Approach, Seeker, and ask_.

Zoe swallowed. "What must I do to help my goddess?"

The Oracle's mouth opened, and green mist poured out. I saw the vague image of a mountain, and a girl standing at the barren peak. It was Artemis, but she was wrapped in chains, fettered to the rocks. She was kneeling, her hands raised as if to fend off an attacker, and it looked like she was in pain. The Oracle spoke:

_Five shall go west to the goddess in chains,_

_One shall be lost in the land without rain,_

_The bane of Olympus shows the trail,_

_Campers and Hunters combined prevail,_

_The Titan's curse must one withstand,_

_And one shall perish by a parent's hand._

Then, as we were watching, the mist swirled and retreated like a great green serpent into the mummy's mouth. The Oracle sat down on a rock and became as still as she'd been in the attic, as if she might sit by this creek for a hundred years.

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

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**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	9. I Sneak Out of Camp Again

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

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* * *

**Περσεύς 8**

**I Sneak Out of Camp...Again**

The least the Oracle could've done was walk back to the attic by herself.

Instead, Grover and I were elected to carry her. I didn't figure that was because we were the most popular.

"Watch her head!" Grover warned as we went up the stairs. But it was too late.

_Bonk_! I whacked her mummified face against the trapdoor frame and dust flew.

"Come on, Percy," Grover complained. "Seriously. Did you break anything?"

"I don't know," I admitted, "and I don't care."

We hauled her up and set her on her tripod stool, Grover huffing and sweating. I was breathing a little heavy, but I could handle the weight. It was surprising, though. Who knew a mummy could weigh so much?

I assumed she wouldn't talk to me, and I was right. I was relieved when we finally got out of there and slammed the attic door shut.

"Well," Grover said, "that was gross."

I knew he was trying to keep things light for my sake, but I still felt really down. Something about the Hunters just made me feel angry and depressed at the same time. Their rude, sexist comments kind of registered to me. They repeatedly talked trash about males and usually when someone, or a group of people, tell you that you are something...over time, you start to believe it. Am I really stupid? And then there was the Oracle herself. The prophecy talked about the goddess Artemis and how she was in chains...but there was nothing about my friends, not even a hint.

"What will Chiron do?" I asked Grover.

"I wish I knew." He looked wistfully out the second-floor window at the rolling hills covered in snow. "I want to be out there."

"Going on a dangerous quest to save a goddess from Mount Othrys, wherever it is now?"

"Oh, not really that..." He clopped his hooves uneasily. "Just something the manticore said, about the Great Stirring. I can't help but wonder… if all those ancient powers are waking up, maybe… maybe not all of them are evil."

"You mean Pan."

I felt kind of selfish, because I'd totally forgotten about Grover's life ambition. The nature god had gone missing two thousand years ago. He was rumored to have died, but the satyrs didn't believe that. They were determined to find him. They'd been searching in vain for centuries, and Grover was convinced he'd be the one to succeed. This year, with Chiron putting all the satyrs on emergency duty to find half-bloods, Grover hadn't been able to continue his search. It must've been driving him nuts.

"I've let the trail go cold," he said. "I feel restless, like I'm missing something really important. He's out there somewhere. I can just feel it."

I wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry, Grover. You'll find him. You'll be the first. I know it."

He gave me a small smile. "You can't be sure about everything, but thanks."

Then Thalia tromped up the stairs. "Percy. Get your ass downstairs."

"Why?" I asked.

"Dionysus is calling a council of cabin leaders to discuss the prophecy," she said. "Unfortunately, that includes you."

* * *

The council was held around a Ping-Pong table in the rec room. Dionysus waved his hand and supplied snacks: Cheez Whiz, crackers, and several bottles of red wine. Then Chiron reminded him that wine was against his restrictions and most of us were underage. Mr. D sighed. With a snap of his fingers the wine turned to Diet Coke. Nobody drank that either.

Mr. D and Chiron (in wheelchair form) sat at one end of the table. Zoe and Bianca di Angelo (who had kind of become Zoe's personal assistant) took the other end. Thalia and Grover and I sat along the right, and the other head counselors—Beckendorf, Silena Beauregard, and the Stoll brothers—sat on the left. The Ares kids were supposed to send a representative, too, but all of them had gotten broken limbs (accidentally) during capture the flag, courtesy of the Hunters. They were resting up in the infirmary.

Zoe started the meeting off on a positive note. "This is pointless."

"Cheez Whiz!" Grover gasped. He began scooping up crackers and Ping-Pong balls and spraying them with topping.

"There is no time for talk," Zoe continued. "Our goddess needs us. The Hunters must leave immediately."

"And go where?" Chiron asked.

"West!" Bianca said. I was amazed at how different she looked after just a few days with the Hunters. Her dark hair was braided like Zoe's now, so you could actually see her face. She had a splash of freckles across her nose, and her dark eyes vaguely reminded me of someone famous, but I couldn't think who. She looked like she'd been working out, and her skin glowed faintly, like the other Hunters, as if she'd been taking showers in liquid moonlight. "You heard the prophecy. _Five shall go west to the goddess in chains_. We can get five hunters and go."

"Yes," Zoe agreed. "Artemis is being held hostage! We must find her and free her."

"You're missing something, as usual," Thalia said. "_Campers and Hunters combined prevail_. We're supposed to do this together."

"No!" Zoe said. "The Hunters do not need thy help."

"_Your"_ Thalia grumbled. "Nobody has said _thy_ in, like, three hundred years, Zoe. Get with the times."

Zoe hesitated, like she was trying to form the word correctly. "_Yerrr_. We do not need _yerrr_ help."

Thalia rolled her eyes. "Forget it."

"I fear the prophecy says you _do_ need our help," Chiron said. "Campers and Hunters must cooperate."

"Or do they?" Mr. D mused, swirling his Diet Coke under his nose like it had a fine bouquet. "_One shall be lost. One shall perish_. That sounds rather nasty, doesn't it? What if you fail _because_ you try to cooperate?"

"Mr. D," Chiron sighed, "with all due respect, whose side are you on?"

Dionysus raised his eyebrows. "Sorry, my dear centaur. Just trying to be helpful."

"We're supposed to work together," Thalia said stubbornly. "I don't like it either, Zoe, but you know prophecies. You want to fight against one?"

Zoe grimaced, but I could tell Thalia had scored a point.

"We must not delay," Chiron warned. "Today is Sunday. This very Friday, December twenty-first, is the winter solstice."

"Oh, joy," Dionysus muttered. "Another dull annual meeting."

"Artemis must be present at the solstice," Zoe said. "She has been one of the most vocal on the council arguing for action against Kronos' minions. If she is absent, the gods will decide nothing. We will lose another year of war preparations."

"Are you suggesting that the gods have trouble acting together, young lady?" Dionysus asked.

"Yes, Lord Dionysus."

Mr. D nodded. "Just checking. You're right, of course. Carry on."

"I must agree with Zoe," said Chiron. "Artemis's presence at the winter council is critical. We have only a week to find her. And possibly even more important: to locate the monster she was hunting. Now, we must decide who goes on this quest."

"Three and two," I said.

Everybody looked at me.

"We're supposed to have five," I said, feeling self-conscious. "Three Hunters, two from Camp Half-Blood. That's more than fair."

Thalia and Zoe exchanged looks.

"Well," Thalia said. "It does make sense."

Zoe grunted. "I would prefer to take _all_ the Hunters. We will need strength of numbers."

"You'll be retracing the goddess's path," Chiron reminded her. "Moving quickly. No doubt Artemis tracked the scent of this rare monster, whatever it is, as she moved west. You will have to do the same. The prophecy was clear: _The bane of Olympus shows the trail_. What would your mistress say? 'Too many Hunters spoil the scent.' A small group is best."

Zoe picked up a Ping-Pong paddle and studied it like she was deciding who she wanted to whack first. "This monster—the bane of Olympus. I have hunted at Lady Artemis's side for many years, yet I have no idea what this beast might be."

Everybody looked at Dionysus, I guess because he was the only god present and gods are supposed to know things. He was flipping through a wine magazine, but when everyone got silent he glanced up, "Well, don't look at me. I'm a _young_ god, remember? I don't keep track of all those ancient monsters and dusty titans. They make for terrible party conversation."

"Chiron," I said, "you don't have any ideas about the monster?"

Chiron pursed his lips. "I have several ideas, none of them good. And none of them quite make sense. Typhon, for instance, could fit this description. He was truly a bane of Olympus. Or the sea monster Keto. But if either of these were stirring, we would know it. They are ocean monsters the size of skyscrapers. Your father, Poseidon, would already have sounded the alarm. I fear this monster may be more elusive. Perhaps even more powerful."

I frowned. I racked my brain for any knowledge of a monster that was the bane of Olympus. "Any giant monster could take down the gods," I mused. "But this _bane of Olympus_. If we're supposed to follow its trail, it can't be something big. If so, as you said, the gods would have sounded the alarm. Maybe...maybe the monster isn't a monster than can take down the gods with its strength, but rather, its power. Like, a beast that holds the power to destroy the gods, but doesn't use it because it thinks peacefully. I don't know; it's just a guess. Not all monsters fight. Like centaurs...the Party Ponies. They don't always fight. Most of the time they clash heads and have competitions to see who can lose all of their brain cells first."

The Stolls snickered at the last part.

Zoe gave me a weird look that sort of creeped me out, but it didn't seem like she wanted to cut my heart out. Chiron's eyes widened a little. "An elusive and powerful monster. There were old stories..." he mused. "Could it be?"

"What's wrong, Chiron?" asked Silena.

"Nothing, just thinking of possibilities."

"Still, that's some serious danger you're facing," Connor Stoll said. (I liked how he said _you_ and not we.) "It sounds like at least two of the five are going to die."

"_One shall be lost in the land without rain"_ Beckendorf said. "If I were you, I'd stay out of the desert."

There was a muttering of agreement.

"And _the Titan's curse must one withstand_," Silena said. "What could that mean?"

I saw Chiron and Zoe exchange a nervous look, but whatever they were thinking, they didn't share it.

"_One shall perish by a parent's hand_," Grover said in between bites of Cheez Whiz and Ping-Pong balls. "How is that possible? Whose parent would kill them?"

There was heavy silence around the table.

I glanced at Thalia and wondered if she was thinking the same thing I was. Years ago, Chiron had had a prophecy about the next child of the Big Three—Zeus, Poseidon, or Hades—who turned sixteen. Supposedly, that kid would make a decision that would save or destroy the gods forever. Because of that, the Big Three had taken an oath after World War II not to have any more kids. But Thalia and I had been born anyway, and now we were both getting close to sixteen.

Could an Olympian parent turn against his half-blood child? Would it sometimes be easier just to let them die? If there were ever any half-bloods who needed to worry about that, it was Thalia and me. I wondered if maybe I should've sent Poseidon that seashell pattern tie for Father's Day after all.

"There will be deaths," Chiron decided. "That much we know."

"Oh, goody!" Dionysus said. Everyone looked at him. He glanced up innocently from the pages of _Wine Connoisseur_ magazine. "Ah, pinot noir is making a comeback. Don't mind me."

"Percy is right," Silena Beauregard said. "Two campers should go."

"Oh, I see," Zoe said sarcastically. "And I suppose you wish to volunteer?"

Silena blushed. "I'm not going anywhere with the Hunters. Don't look at me!"

"A daughter of Aphrodite does not wish to be looked at," Zoe scoffed. "What would thy mother say?"

Silena started to get out of her chair, but the Stoll brothers pulled her back.

"Stop it," Beckendorf said. He was a big guy with a bigger voice. He didn't talk much, but when he did, people tended to listen. "Let's start with the Hunters. Which three of you will go?"

Zoe stood. "I shall go, of course, and I will take Phoebe. She is our best tracker."

"The big girl who likes to hit people on the head?" Travis Stoll asked cautiously.

Zoe nodded.

"The one who put the arrows in my helmet?" Connor added.

"Yes," Zoe snapped. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing," Travis said. "Just that we have a T-shirt for her from the camp store." He held up a big silver T-shirt that said ARTEMIS THE MOON GODDESS, FALL HUNTING TOUR 2002, with a huge list of national parks and stuff underneath. "It's a collector's item. She was admiring it. You want to give it to her?"

I knew the Stolls were up to something. They always were. But I guess Zoe didn't know them as well as I did. She just sighed and took the T-shirt. "As I was saying, I will take Phoebe. And I wish Bianca to go."

Bianca looked stunned. "Me? But…I'm so new. I wouldn't be any good."

"You will do fine," Zoe insisted. "There is no better way to prove thyself."

Bianca closed her mouth. I felt kind of sorry for her. I remembered my first quest when I was twelve. I had felt totally unprepared. A little honored, maybe, but a lot resentful and plenty scared. I figured the same things were running around in Bianca's head right now.

"And for campers?" Chiron asked. His eyes met mine, but I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"Me!" Grover stood up so fast he bumped the Ping-Pong table. He brushed cracker crumbs and Ping-Pong ball scraps off his lap. "Anything to help Artemis!"

Zoe wrinkled her nose. "I think not, satyr. You are not even a half-blood."

"But he _is_ a camper," Thalia said. "And he's got a satyr's senses and woodland magic. Can you play a tracker's song yet, Grover?"

"Absolutely!"

Zoe wavered. I didn't know what a tracker's song was, but apparently Zoe thought it was a good thing.

"Very well," Zoe said. "And the second camper?"

"I'll go." Thalia stood and looked around, daring anyone to question her.

Now, okay, maybe my math skills weren't the best, but it suddenly occurred to me that we'd reached the number five, and I wasn't in the group. "Whoa, wait a sec," I said. "I want to go too."

Thalia said nothing. Chiron was still studying me, his eyes sad.

"Oh," Grover said, suddenly aware of the problem. "Whoa, yeah, I forgot! Percy has to go. I didn't mean…I'll stay. Percy should go in my place."

"He cannot," Zoe said. "He is a boy. I won't have Hunters traveling with a boy."

"You traveled here with me," I reminded her.

"That was a short-term emergency, and it was ordered by the goddess. I will not go across country and fight many dangers in the company of a boy."

"What about Grover?" I demanded.

Zoe shook her head. "He does not count. He's a satyr. He is not technically a boy."

"Hey!" Grover protested.

"I _have_ to go on this quest," I said. "I need to get Annabeth and Luke back. I promised that I wouldn't let them get in too much danger."

"Controlling fate is not by thy wish," Zoe said. "Friends will perish, it will be sad, but such sacrifices must be made for the world to continue on."

"I _need_ to go. Am I that useless? Do you all think that?"

Chiron regarded me with those same sad eyes. The Stolls, Beckendorf and Silena stared at the table, unsure of what to say. Thalia just stared straight in front of her, her eyes seemingly holding doubt. Grover looked extremely apologetic, and Mr. D looked extremely bored. Bianca gave me a look of pity.

"No," Zoe said flatly. "I insist upon this. I will take a satyr if I must, but not a male hero."

Chiron sighed. "The quest is for Artemis. The Hunters should be allowed to approve their companions."

My ears were ringing as I looked at all of my friends. I knew Grover and some of the others were looking at me sympathetically, but in a way, I felt betrayed. Why had none of them stuck up for me? Even one I would have been okay with...but none...

Stunned, I slowly slumped down into my seat as Chiron concluded the council.

"So be it," he said. "Thalia and Grover will accompany Zoe, Bianca, and Phoebe. You shall leave at first light. And may the gods"—he glanced at Dionysus—"present company included, we hope—be with you."

As soon as he said that, I got up swiftly and slid out the door.

Instead of going to dinner that night, I went down to the beach and stared down into the water. The water looked cold, like it usually was, but I didn't mind. I took a small step into the shallow end and sat down cross-legged.

The sun was setting slowly across Long Island Sound, the sun glittering in the west. I played with the water a little bit, forming shapes and hardening them so that they looked like figurines. Eventually, I made little solidified-water figurines of all of the Olympians, plus Hades and Hestia. I figured making _all_ of the minor gods would take too much effort. And besides, they'd joined Kronos.

I set them on the surface of the water where I kept them afloat and in one spot. Arranging them into a semi-circle, I created plain thrones from each of them to sit on. All of the Olympians sat on large thrones while Hestia sat at the hearth. At first, I wanted to replicate the real Olympus and give Hades a small seat like Zeus would; but I decided to be nice to the Lord of the Dead and gave him a large throne which sat next to Hestia. I frowned, seeing as it was unfitting. I shrugged and turned the throne back to a small size. I figured putting Hades next to Hestia, the best goddess, would be a good thing for him.

I smiled happily and continued playing with water figures until I heard footsteps...no, hooves, approaching me. I let all of my water statues melt into liquid water before turning around to find Grover and Chiron approaching.

"Percy, I'm so sorry!" Grover said. He clopped his way over to me, tripping in the sand a couple times. "I didn't know they'd—that you'd—Honest!"

He started to sniffle, and I figured if I didn't cheer him up he'd start bawling.

"It's okay," I lied. "Really. It's fine."

Grover's lower lip trembled. "I wasn't even thinking…I was so focused on helping Artemis. But I promise, I'll look everywhere for Annabeth and Luke. If I can find them, I will."

I nodded.

"Grover," Chiron said, "perhaps you'd let me have a word with Percy?"

"Sure," he sniffled.

Chiron waited,

"Oh," Grover said. "You mean alone. Sure, Chiron." He looked at me miserably. "See? Nobody needs a goat."

He trotted back towards camp, blowing his nose on his sleeve.

Chiron sighed and knelt on his horse legs. "Percy, I don't pretend to understand prophecies."

"Yeah," I said. "Well, maybe that's because they don't make any sense."

Chiron gazed at the saltwater spring gurgling in the corner of the room. "Thalia would not have been my first choice to go on this quest. She's too impetuous. She acts without thinking. She is too sure of herself."

"Thalia's not the problem, Chiron," I said. "Sure she's all of that, but she's a good warrior. She is a leader and she can find ways to get out of sticky situations."

"But you wouldn't have been my first choice either. You and Thalia are much alike," he said.

"Gee, thanks."

He smiled. "The difference is that you are less sure of yourself than Thalia. That could be good or bad."

"Yeah, but...I just feel that I need to go on this quest. I promised that I'd put my friends first, then I'd put my own needs—"

"That's not true, Percy," Chiron said wisely. "You _do_ put yourself first. You just don't realize it. You want to be the one who sacrifices yourself. _You_ would sacrifice anything to save a friend, yet you don't realize it. You know of Annabeth's fatal flaw, hubris. I believe that I've figured yours."

"Then what is it?"

"Personal loyalty," he stated. "You would sacrifice anything to save a friend or a family member, whether that be your well-being, or the good of the entire world. In order to save a friend, you would let the world be destroyed. But you've been affected by your time as a child on the streets. That loyalty doesn't apply to every single friend of yours. Betrayal is something you detest. Someone who betrays you will become an enemy of yours immediately. You knew Ethan the best out of the newer campers, and you trusted him, I could tell. But now...now what do you think of the son of Nemesis? You want to kill him, murder him because he follows what you think is wrong. You are a very dangerous child indeed. That is why Kronos wants you to join him. You are a very powerful asset, not because of your strength and power, but because of your natural personality."

I opened my mouth to retort, but I realized he was right about everything.

"Perhaps it is for the best," Chiron mused. "You may want to have a nice journey learning about the Romans. If we need you, we'll Iris-message you. I'm sure you'll find a way to find the quest members."

"Yeah," I said. "Maybe."

I pulled Riptide out of my pocket and set it on my nightstand. It didn't seem that I'd be using it for anything but writing Christmas cards.

When he saw the pen, Chiron grimaced. "It's no wonder Zoe doesn't want you along, I suppose. Not while you're carrying that particular weapon."

I didn't understand what he meant. Then I remembered something he'd told me a long time ago, when he first gave me the magic sword: _It has a long and tragic history, which we need not go into_.

"And, ah, for what it's worth… I almost volunteered for this quest myself. I would have gone, if not for the last line."

"_One shall perish by a parent's hand_. Yeah."

I didn't need to ask. I knew Chiron's dad was Kronos, the evil Titan Lord himself. The line would make perfect sense if Chiron went on the quest. Kronos didn't care for anyone, including his own children.

"Chiron," I said. "You know what this Titan's curse is, don't you? The curse of the leader of Kronos' army, Atlas. Him holding the sky, right?"

His face darkened. He made a claw over his heart and pushed outward—an ancient gesture for warding off evil. "Let us hope the prophecy does not mean what you think. Now, good night, Percy. And your time will come. I'm convinced of that. There's no need to rush."

He said _your time_ the way people did when they meant _your death_. I didn't know if Chiron meant it that way, but the look in his eyes made me scared to ask.

"But...someone will need to take on Atlas' curse," I said. "Who would do such a thing? Annabeth did it for Luke, and only for Luke, before it turned out to be Ethan cast in a spell. I'm sure Artemis is next in line."

"Push that out of your mind, Percy," Chiron said, his face getting paler. "Just get some rest, and I assured you that your time will come."

That repeated line made me even more worried.

* * *

I don't remember falling asleep, but I remember the dream.

I was back in that barren cave, the ceiling heavy and low above me. Annabeth was kneeling under the weight of a dark mass that looked like a pile of boulders. She was too tired even to cry out. Her legs trembled. Any second, I knew she would run out of strength and the cavern ceiling would collapse on top of her.

"How is our mortal guest?" a male voice boomed.

Ethan emerged from the shadows. He ran to Annabeth, knelt beside her, then looked back at the unseen man. "She's fading. We must hurry."

The Titan, who I was beginning to think was Atlas, chuckled. Then a meaty hand thrust someone forward into the light—Artemis—her hands and feet bound in celestial bronze chains.

I gasped. Her silvery dress was torn and tattered. Her face and arms were cut in several places, and she was bleeding ichor, the golden blood of the gods.

"You heard the boy," said the man in the shadows. "Decide!"

Artemis's eyes flashed with anger. I wondered if the celestial bronze chains negated her godly powers.

The goddess looked at Annabeth and her expression changed to concern and outrage. "How dare you torture a maiden like this!"

"She will die soon," Ethan said. "You can save her."

Annabeth made a weak sound of protest. My heart felt like lead. I wanted to save Annabeth from the terrible fate of holding what I now knew as the entire sky but kill Ethan at the same time.

"Free my hands," Artemis said.

Ethan brought out his sword, Backbiter. With one expert strike, he broke the goddess's handcuffs.

Artemis ran to Annabeth and took the burden from her shoulders. Annabeth collapsed on the ground and lay there shivering. Artemis staggered, trying to support the weight of the black rocks.

The man in the shadows chuckled. "You are as predictable as you were easy to beat, Artemis."

"You surprised me," the goddess said, straining under her burden. "It will not happen again."

"Indeed it will not," the man said. "Now you are out of the way for good! I knew you could not resist helping a young maiden. That is, after all, your specialty, my dear."

Artemis groaned. "You know nothing of mercy, you swine."

"On that," the man said, "we can agree. Ethan, you may kill the girl now."

"No!'" Artemis shouted.

Ethan hesitated. "She—she may yet be useful, sir.. Further bait."

"Bah! You truly believe that?"

"Yes, General. They will come for her. I'm sure."

The man considered. "Then the _dracaenae_ can guard her here. Assuming she does not die from her injuries, you may keep her alive until winter solstice. After that, if our sacrifice goes as planned, her life will be meaningless. The lives of _all_ mortals will be meaningless."

Ethan gathered up Annabeth's listless body and carried her away from the goddess.

"You will never find the monster you seek," Artemis said. "Your plan will fail."

"How little you know, my young goddess," the man in the shadows said. "Even now, your darling attendants begin their quest to find you. They shall play directly into my hands. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a long journey to make. We must greet your Hunters and make sure their quest is…challenging."

The man's laughter echoed in the darkness, shaking the ground until it seemed the whole cavern ceiling would collapse.

I woke with a start. I was sure I'd heard a loud banging. I looked around the cabin. It was dark outside. The salt spring still gurgled. No other sounds but the hoot of an owl in the woods and the distant surf on the beach. In the moonlight, on my nightstand was Annabeth's New York Yankees cap. I stared at it for a second and then: _BANG BANG._

Someone, or something, was pounding on my door. I grabbed Riptide and got out of bed.

"Hello?" I called. _THUMP. THUMP._ I crept to the door.

I uncapped the blade, flung open the door, and found myself face-to-face with a black pegasus.

_Whoa, boss_! Its voice spoke in my mind as it clopped away from the sword blade. _I don't wanna be a horse-ke-bob_!

Its black wings spread in alarm, and the wind buffeted me back a step. "Blackjack," I said, relieved but a little irritated. "It's the middle of the night!"

Blackjack huffed. _Ain't either, boss. It's five in the morning. What you still sleeping for_?

"How many times have I told you? Don't call me boss."

_Whatever you say, boss. You're the man. You're my number one_.

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and tried not to let the pegasus read my thoughts. That's the problem with being Poseidon's son: since he created horses out of sea foam, I can understand most equestrian animals, but they can understand me, too. Sometimes, like in Blackjack's case, they kind of adopt me.

See, Blackjack had been a captive on board Ethan's ship last summer, until we'd caused a little distraction that allowed him to escape. I'd really had very little to do with it, seriously, but Blackjack credited me with saving him.

"Blackjack," I said, "you're supposed to stay in the stables."

_Meh, the stables. You see Chiron staying in the stables?_

"Well…no."

_Exactly. Listen, we got another little sea friend needs your help._

"Again?"

_Yeah. I told the hippocampi I'd come get you._

I groaned. Anytime I was anywhere near the beach, the hippocampi would ask me to help them with their problems. And they had a lot of problems. Beached whales, porpoises caught in fishing nets, mermaids with hangnails—they'd call me to come underwater and help.

"All right," I said. "I'm coming."

_You're the best, boss._

"And don't call me boss!"

Blackjack whinnied softly. It might've been a laugh.

I looked back at my comfortable bed. My bronze shield still hung on the wall, dented and unusable. And on my nightstand was Annabeth's magic Yankees cap. On an impulse, I stuck the cap in my pocket. I guess I had a feeling, even then, that I wasn't coming back to my cabin for a long, long time.

* * *

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SharkAttack719**


	10. I Learn How To Make Kittens

**Hello everyone,**

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* * *

**Περσεύς 9**

**I Learn How to Make Kittens**

After saving what looked to be a sea-cow-and-serpent hybrid, I was on my way back to camp when I saw Nico hiding behind a Greek column at the dining pavilion.

I wondered what the boy was up to because it wasn't even dawn.

"Blackjack," I said. "Bring me down to the kid."

_Sure, boss_, he said.

I jumped off of Blackjack silently and crept up behind Nico di Angelo. As I came up the stairs, I realized that he didn't see me at all. He was behind a column, peeking around the corner, all his attention focused on the dining area. That's when I heard the voices and realized he was pulling a Grover: spying on the Hunters.

There were voices—two girls talking at one of the dining tables. Who would be up at this ungodly hour of the morning? Well, unless you're the goddess of dawn, I guess.

To stay hidden, I took Annabeth's magic cap out of my pocket and put it on.

I crept up to Nico and sneaked around him. I could see the girls' silhouettes in the dark, but I couldn't see their faces. I still knew their voices: Zoe and Bianca. It sounded like they were arguing.

"It _cannot_ be cured," Zoe was saying. "Not quickly, at any rate."

"But how did it happen?" Bianca asked.

"A foolish prank," Zoe growled. "Those Stoll boys from the Hermes cabin. Centaur blood is like acid. Everyone knows that. They sprayed the inside of that Artemis Hunting Tour T-shirt with it."

"That's terrible!"

"She will live," Zoe said. "But she'll be bedridden for weeks with horrible hives. There is no way she can go. It's up to me…and thee."

"But the prophecy," Bianca said. "If Phoebe can't go, we only have four. We'll have to pick another."

"There is no time," Zoe said. "We must leave at first light. That's immediately. Besides, the prophecy said we would lose one."

"In the land without rain," Bianca said, "but that can't be here."

"It might be," Zoe said, though she didn't sound convinced. "The camp has magic borders. Nothing, not even weather, is allowed in without permission. It _could _be a land without rain."

"But—"

"Bianca, hear me." Zoe's voice was strained. "I…I can't explain, but I have a sense that we should _not_ pick someone else. It would be too dangerous. They would meet an end worse than Phoebe's. I don't want Chiron choosing a camper as our fifth companion. And… I don't want to risk another Hunter."

Bianca was silent. "You should tell Thalia the rest of your dream."

"No. It would not help."

"But if your suspicions are correct, about the General—"

"I have thy word not to talk about that," Zoe said. She sounded really anguished. "We will find out soon enough. Now come. Dawn is breaking."

Nico and I scooted out of their way.

Suddenly, as Zoe passed us, she stopped, her eyes narrowing in suspicion, as if she could feel our presences, but then Bianca said, "The lights of the Big House are on! Hurry!"

And Zoe followed her out of the pavilion.

I could tell what Nico was thinking. He took a deep breath and was about to run after his sister when I took off the invisibility cap and said, "Wait."

He almost slipped on the icy steps as he spun around to find me. "Where did you come from?"

"I've been here the whole time. Invisible."

He mouthed the word _invisible_. "Wow. Cool."

"How did you know Zoe and your sister were here?"

He blushed. "I heard them walk by the Hermes cabin. I don't…I don't sleep too well at camp. So I heard footsteps, and them whispering. And so I kind of followed."

"And now you're thinking about following them on the quest," I guessed.

"How did you know that?"

"Because if it was my sister, I'd probably be thinking the same thing. But you can't."

He looked defiant. "Because I'm too young?"

"Because they won't let you. They'll catch you and send you back here. Trust me, I'm sure you'll get a handful of quests soon, but for now, stay safe. Your sister would want that for you."

"I can stay safe while on the quest!" he countered.

I bit my lip. "Nico, do you remember the manticore? There will be monsters just like that, and some even more powerful. It's dangerous. Some heroes will die...and stay dead."

His shoulders sagged. He shifted from foot to foot. "Maybe you're right. But, but _you_ can go for me."

"I—I can't, Nico," I responded. "I'm not allowed to go on the quest. Chiron announced that the Hunters could choose their companions, and Zoe doesn't want me on the quest."

"But you can sneak out of camp. You can be like a guardian angel. Please, Percy! You have to!"

"Nico—"

"You're planning to go anyway, aren't you? Even though you said you can't, you're planning to go, aren't you?"

I looked Nico dead in the eyes, and somehow I couldn't lie to him.

"Yeah," I said. "Artemis means a lot, but Annabeth and Luke are worth a lot as well. They are valuable and will be extremely helpful in fighting off Kronos."

"I won't tell on you," he said. "But you have to promise to keep my sister safe."

"I…that's a big thing to promise, Nico, on a trip like this. Besides, she's got Zoe, Grover, and Thalia—"

"Promise," he insisted.

"I'll do my best to keep her safe. I'm sorry if that goes awry."

"Get going, then!" he said. "Good luck!"

It was crazy. I wasn't packed. I had nothing but the cap and the sword and the clothes I was wearing. I was supposed to stay at camp until further notice. "Tell Chiron—"

"I'll make something up." Nico smiled crookedly. "I'm good at that. Go on!"

I ran, putting on Annabeth's cap. As the sun came up, I turned invisible. I hit the top of Half-Blood Hill in time to see the camp's van disappearing down the farm road, probably Argus taking the quest group into the city. After that they would be on their own.

I felt a twinge of guilt, and stupidity, too. How was I supposed to keep up with them. Run?

Then I heard the beating of huge wings. Blackjack landed next to me. He began casually nuzzling a few tufts of grass that stuck through the ice.

_If I was guessing, boss, I'd say you need a getaway horse. You interested?_

A lump of gratitude stuck in my throat, but I managed to say, "Yeah. Let's fly."

HORIZONTAL

The thing about flying on a pegasus during the daytime is that if you're not careful, you can cause a serious traffic accident on the Long Island Expressway.

I had to keep Blackjack up in the clouds, which were, fortunately, pretty low in the winter. We darted around, trying to keep the white Camp Half-Blood van in sight. And it was seriously cold in the air, with icy rain stinging my skin.

I was wishing I'd brought some of that Camp Half-Blood orange thermal underwear they sold in the camp store, but after the story about Phoebe and the centaur-blood T-shirt, I wasn't sure I trusted their products anymore.

We lost the van twice, but I had a pretty good sense that they would go into Manhattan first, so it wasn't too difficult to pick up their trail again.

Traffic was bad with the holidays and all. It was mid morning before they got into the city. I landed Blackjack near the top of the Chrysler Building and watched the white camp van, thinking it would pull into the bus station, but it just kept driving.

"Where's Argus taking them?" I muttered.

_Oh, Argus ain't driving, boss_, Blackjack told me. _That girl is_.

"Which girl?"

_The Hunter girl. With the silver crown thing in her hair._

"Zoe?"

_That's the one. Hey, look! There's a donut shop. Can we get something to go?_

"Can you fly fast and keep up with them if we stop?" I asked.

_That's no problem, boss_, he whinnied.

"Okay, we'll stop at the next place Zoe stops at and then I'll get you a donut then," I said. "How's that sound, Blackjack?"

_You are truly the meanest boss ever, boss_, Blackjack complained.

The van kept snaking its way toward the Lincoln Tunnel. It had never even occurred to me that Zoe could drive. I mean, she didn't look sixteen. Then again, she was immortal. I wondered if she had a New York license, and if so, what her birth date said.

Then I felt like punching myself. _The Mist, you idiot!_

"Well," I said. "Let's get after them."

We were about to leap off the Chrysler Building when Blackjack whinnied in alarm and almost threw me. Something was curling around my leg like a snake. I reached for my sword, but when I looked down, there was no snake. Vines—grape vines—had sprouted from the cracks between the stones of the building. They were wrapping around Blackjack's legs, lashing down my ankles so we couldn't move.

"Going somewhere?" Mr. D asked.

He was leaning against the building with his feet levitating in the air, his leopard-skin warm-up suit and black hair whipping around in the wind.

_God alert_! Blackjack yelled. _It's the wine dude_!

Mr. D sighed in exasperation. "The next person, _or horse_, who calls me the 'wine dude' will end up in a bottle of Merlot!"

"Mr. D." I tried to keep my voice calm as the grape vines continued to wrap around my legs. "What do you want?"

"Oh, what do _I_ want? You thought, perhaps, that the immortal, all-powerful director of camp would not notice you leaving without permission?"

"Why do you care?" I retorted.

"I should throw you off this building, minus the flying horse, and see how heroic you sound on the way down."

I balled my fists. I knew I should keep my mouth shut, but Mr. D was about to kill me or haul me back to camp in shame, and I couldn't stand either idea. "Why do you hate me so much? What did I ever do to you?"

Purple flames flickered in his eyes. "You're a hero, boy. I need no other reason."

"I didn't ask for this!" I exploded. "Do you think I _want_ to be a hero? No! All I've ever wanted was to be a normal kid in a normal world."

"Did I ever tell you about Ariadne?" Mr. D asked. "Beautiful young princess of Crete? She liked helping her friends, too. In fact, she helped a young hero named Theseus, also a son of Poseidon. She gave him a ball of magical yarn that let him find his way out of the Labyrinth. And do you know how Theseus rewarded her?"

I gritted my teeth. "Theseus was only half a son of Poseidon. He was half the son of Aegeus. And, yes I know what he did. He betrayed her, promised to marry her, but ended up dumping her on an island halfway back."

Mr. D sneered. "I found her there, you know. Alone. Heartbroken. Crying her eyes out. She had given up everything, left everything she knew behind, to help a dashing young hero who tossed her away like a broken sandal."

I said, "But that was thousands of years ago. What's that got to do with me?"

Mr. D regarded me coldly. "I fell in love with Ariadne, boy. I healed her broken heart. And when she died, I made her my immortal wife on Olympus. She waits for me even now. I shall go back to her when I am done with this infernal century of punishment at your ridiculous camp."

"Yeah, I know that," I said. "So, what does this all have to do—"

"My _point_ is you heroes never change. You accuse us gods of being vain. You should look at yourselves. You take what you want, use whoever you have to, and then you betray everyone around you. So you'll excuse me if I have no love for heroes. They are a selfish, ungrateful lot. Ask Ariadne. Or Medea. For that matter, ask Zoe Nightshade. Or maybe even my ungrateful half-sister, Thalia."

"You used to be a hero yourself!" I argued. "You were a demigod, a son of Zeus. Did you ever betray anyone?"

His face went purple. "I was never a mortal hero. I became a god from the moment I was born."

"But you were mortal. You fought alongside Heracles."

_Uh, boss_, said my horse. _I don't think it's such a good idea to argue considering we're 900 feet in the air. It'd be bad for you._

Then Dionysus waved his hand dismissively. "Go. Follow your friends."

The vines uncurled around my legs.

"Thank you," I said stiffly.

"The prophecy says at least two of you will die. Perhaps I'll get lucky and you'll be one of them. But mark my words, son of Poseidon, live or die, you will prove no better than the other heroes."

Anger rose in my chest, but I did my best to push it down and away.

With that, Dionysus snapped his fingers. His image folded up like a paper display. There was a _pop_ and he was gone, leaving a faint scent of grapes that was quickly blown away by the wind.

_Too close_, Blackjack said.

I nodded, though I almost would have been less worried if Mr. D had hauled me back to camp. The fact that he'd let me go meant he really believed we stood a fair chance of crashing and burning on this quest.

"Come on, Blackjack," I said, trying to sound upbeat. "I'll buy you some donuts in New Jersey."

As it turned out, I didn't buy Blackjack donuts in New Jersey. Zoe drove south like a crazy person, and we were into Maryland before she finally pulled over at a rest stop. Blackjack nearly tumbled out of the sky. He was so tired.

_I'll be okay, boss_, he panted. _Just…just catching my breath_.

"Stay here," I told him. "I'm going to scout."

_'Stay here' I can handle. I can do that._

I put on my cap of invisibility and walked over to the convenience store. It was difficult not to sneak. I had to keep reminding myself that nobody could see me. It was hard, too, because I had to remember to get out of people's way so they wouldn't slam into me.

I thought I'd go inside and warm up, maybe get a cup of hot chocolate or something. I had a little change in my pocket. I could leave it on the counter. I was wondering if the cup would turn invisible when I picked it up, or if I'd have to deal with a floating hot chocolate problem, when my whole plan was ruined by Zoe, Thalia, Bianca, and Grover all coming out of the store.

"Grover, are you sure?" Thalia was saying.

"Well…pretty sure. Ninety-nine percent. Okay, eighty-five percent."

"And you did this with acorns?" Bianca asked, like she couldn't believe it.

Grover looked offended. "It's a time-honored tracking spell. I mean, I'm pretty sure I did it right."

"D.C. is about sixty miles from here," Bianca said. "Nico and I…" She frowned. "We used to live there. That's…that's strange. I'd forgotten."

"I dislike this," Zoe said. "We should go straight west. The prophecy said west."

"Oh, like your tracking skills are better?" Thalia growled.

Zoe stepped toward her. "You challenge my skills, you scullion? You know _nothing_ of being a Hunter!"

"Oh, _scullion_ You're calling _me_ a scullion? What the heck is a scullion?"

"Whoa, you two," Grover said nervously. "Come on. Not again!"

"Grover's right," Bianca said. "D.C. is our best bet."

Zoe didn't look convinced, but she nodded reluctantly. "Very well. Let us keep moving."

"You're going to get us arrested, driving," Thalia grumbled. "I look closer to sixteen than you do."

"Perhaps," Zoe snapped. "But I have been driving since automobiles were invented. Let us go."

As Blackjack and I followed them south, I pondered upon Zoe and her age. Since automobiles were invented, like over a hundred years ago, I couldn't help but wonder if Zoe was hundreds of years old. Then my brain wandered. Could she possibly have been someone in history who was betrayed by a hero? That's what Mr. D had hinted to.

As we got closer to Washington, Blackjack started slowing down and dropping altitude. He was breathing heavily.

"You okay?" I asked him.

_Fine, boss. I could…I could take on an army._

"You don't sound so good." And suddenly I felt guilty, because I'd been running the pegasus for half a day, nonstop, trying to keep up with highway traffic. Even for a flying horse, that had to be rough.

_Don't worry about me, boss! I'm a tough one._

I figured he was right, but I also figured Blackjack would run himself into the ground before he complained, and I didn't want that.

Fortunately, the van started to slow down. It crossed the Potomac River into central Washington. I started thinking about air patrols and missiles and stuff like that. I didn't know exactly how all those defenses worked, and wasn't sure if pegasi even showed up on your typical military radar, but I didn't want to find out by getting shot out of the sky.

"Set me down there," I told Blackjack. "That's close enough."

Blackjack was so tired he didn't complain. He dropped toward the Washington Monument and set me on the grass.

The van was only a few blocks away. Zoe had parked at the curb.

I looked at Blackjack. "I want you to go back to camp. Get some rest. Graze. I'll be fine."

Blackjack cocked his head skeptically. _You sure, boss_?

"You've done enough already," I said. "I'll be fine. And thanks a ton."

_A ton of hay, maybe_, Blackjack mused. _That sounds good. All right, but be careful, boss. I got a feeling they didn't come here to meet anything friendly and handsome like me_.

I promised to be careful. Then Blackjack took off, circling twice around the monument before disappearing into the clouds.

I looked over at the white van. Everybody was getting out. Grover pointed toward one of the big buildings lining the Mall. Thalia nodded, and the four of them trudged off into the cold wind.

I started to follow. But then I froze.

A block away, the door of a black sedan opened. A man with gray hair and a military buzz cut got out. He was wearing dark shades and a black overcoat. Now, maybe in Washington, you'd expected guys like that to be everywhere. But it dawned on me that I'd seen this same car a couple of times on the highway, going south. It had been following the van.

The guy took out his mobile phone and said something into it. Then he looked around, like he was making sure the coast was clear, and started walking down the Mall in the direction of my friends.

The worst of it was: when he turned toward me, I recognized his face. It was Dr. Thorn, the manticore from Westover Hall.

Invisibility cap on, I followed Thorn from a distance. My heart was pounding. If _he_ had survived that fall from the cliff, then Annabeth and Luke must have too. My dreams had been right. They were alive and being held prisoner.

Thorn kept well back from my friends, careful not to be seen.

Finally, Grover stopped in front of a big building that said NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM. _The Smithsonian!_ I'd been here when I was five with my mom, but everything had looked so much bigger then.

Thalia checked the door. It was open, but there weren't many people going in. Too cold, and school was out of session. They slipped inside.

Dr. Thorn hesitated. I wasn't sure why, but he didn't go into the museum. He turned and headed across the Mall. I made a split-second decision and followed him.

Thorn crossed the street and climbed the steps of the Museum of Natural History. There was a big sign on the door. At first I thought it said CLOSED FOR PIRATE EVENT. Then I realized PIRATE must be PRIVATE.

I followed Dr. Thorn inside, through a huge chamber full of mastodons and dinosaur skeletons. There were voices up ahead, coming from behind a set of closed doors. Two guards stood outside. They opened the doors for Thorn, and I had to sprint to get inside before they closed them again.

Inside, what I saw was so terrible I almost gasped out loud, which probably would've gotten me killed.

I was in a huge round room with a balcony ringing the second level. At least a dozen mortal guards stood on the balcony, plus two monsters—reptilian women with double-snake trunks instead of legs. I'd seen them before: Scythian dracaenae.

But that wasn't the worse of it. Standing between the snake women—I could swear he was looking straight down at me—was my old enemy Ethan. He looked terrible. His skin was extremely pale, and his black hair had seemed to have lost its color and strength. I noticed that there was a cut that ran down through his eye patch and across where his eye used to be. I wondered what had happened to him.

Next to him, sitting down so that the shadows covered him, was another man. All I could see were his knuckles on the gilded arms of his chair, like a throne.

"Well?" asked the man in the chair. His voice was just like the one I'd heard in my dream—not as creepy as Kronos', but deeper and stronger, like the earth itself was talking. It filled the whole room even though he wasn't yelling. Atlas?

Dr. Thorn took off his shades. His two-colored eyes, brown and blue, glittered with excitement. He made a stiff bow, then spoke in his weird French accent: "They are here, General."

"I know that, you fool," boomed the Titan. "But where?"

"In the rocket museum."

"The Air and Space Museum," Ethan corrected irritably.

Dr. Thorn glared at Ethan. "As you say, _sir."_

I got the feeling Thorn would just as soon impale Ethan with one of his spikes as call him sir.

"How many?" Ethan asked.

Thorn pretended not to hear.

"_How many_?" the General demanded.

"Four, General," Thorn said. "The satyr, Grover Underwood. And the girl with the spiky black hair and the—how do you say—_punk_ clothes and the horrible shield."

"Thalia," Ethan said.

"And two other girls—Hunters. One wears a silver circlet."

"_That_ one I know," the General growled.

Everyone in the room shifted uncomfortably.

"Let me take them," Ethan said to the General. "We have more than enough—"

"Patience," the General said. "They'll have their hands full already. I've sent a little playmate to keep them occupied."

"But—"

"We cannot risk you, my boy."

"Yes, _boy_," Dr. Thorn said with a cruel smile. "You are much too fragile to risk. Let _me_ finish them off."

"No." The General rose from his chair, and I got my second look at him.

He was tall and muscular, with light brown skin and slicked-back dark hair. He wore an expensive brown silk suit like the guys on Wall Street wear, but you'd never mistake this dude for a broker. He had a brutal face, huge shoulders, and hands that could snap a flagpole in half. His eyes were like stone. I felt as if I were looking at a living statue. It was amazing he could even move.

"You have already failed me, Thorn," he said.

"But, General—"

"No excuses!"

Thorn flinched. I'd thought Thorn was kinda scary when I first saw him in his black uniform at the military academy. But now, standing before the General, Thorn looked like a silly wannabe soldier. The General was the real deal. He didn't need a uniform. He was a born commander.

"I should throw you into the pits of Tartarus for your incompetence," the General said. "I send you to capture a child of the three elder gods, and you bring me a scrawny daughter of Athena and a weak son of Hermes."

"But you promised me revenge.'" Thorn protested. "A command of my own!"

"_I_ am Lord Kronos' senior commander," the General said. "And I will choose lieutenants who get me results! It was only thanks to Ethan that we salvaged our plan at all. Now get out of my sight, Thorn, until I find some other menial task for you."

Thorn's face turned purple with rage. I thought he was going to start frothing at the mouth or shooting spines, but he just bowed awkwardly and left the room.

"Now, my boy." The General turned to Ethan. "The first thing we must do is isolate the half-blood Thalia. The monster we seek will then come to her."

"The Hunters will be difficult to dispose of," Ethan said. "Zoe Nightshade—"

"Do not speak her name!"

Ethan swallowed. "S—sorry, General. I just—"

The General silenced him with a wave of his hand. "Let me show you, my boy, how we will bring the Hunters down."

He pointed to a guard on the ground level. "Do you have the teeth?"

The guy stumbled forward with a ceramic pot. "Yes, General!"

"Plant them," he said.

In the center of the room was a big circle of dirt, where I guess a dinosaur exhibit was supposed to go. I watched nervously as the guard took sharp white teeth out of the pot and pushed them into the soil. He smoothed them over while the General smiled coldly.

The guard stepped back from the dirt and wiped his hands. "Ready, General!"

"Excellent! Water them, and we will let them scent their prey."

The guard picked up a little tin watering can with daisies painted on it, which was kind of bizarre, because what he poured out wasn't water. It was dark red liquid, and I got the feeling it wasn't Hawaiian Punch.

The soil began to bubble.

"Soon," the General said, "I will show you, Ethan, soldiers that will make your army from that little boat look insignificant."

Ethan clenched his fists. "I've spent a year training my forces! When the _Princess Andromeda_ arrives at the mountain, they'll be the best—"

"Ha.'" the General said. "I don't deny your troops will make a fine honor guard for Lord Kronos. And you, of course, will have a role to play—"

I thought Ethan turned paler when the General said that.

"—but under my leadership, the forces of Lord Kronos will increase a hundredfold. We will be unstoppable. Behold, my ultimate killing machines."

The soil erupted. I stepped back nervously.

In each spot where a tooth had been planted, a creature was struggling out of the dirt. The first of them said:

"Mew?"

It was a kitten. A little orange tabby with stripes like a tiger. Then another appeared, until there were a dozen, rolling around and playing in the dirt.

Everyone stared at them in disbelief. The General roared, "_What is this? Cute cuddly kittens? Where did you find those teeth_?"

The guard who'd brought the teeth cowered in fear. "From the exhibit, sir! Just like you said. The saber-toothed tiger—"

"No, you idiot! I said the tyrannosaurus! Gather up those…those infernal fuzzy little beasts and take them outside. And never let me see your face again."

The terrified guard dropped his watering can. He gathered up the kittens and scampered out of the room.

"You." The General pointed to another guard. "Get me the _right teeth. NOW!"_

The new guard ran off to carry out his orders.

"Imbeciles," muttered the General.

"This is why I don't use mortals," Ethan said. "They are unreliable."

"They are weak-minded, easily bought, and violent," the General said. "I love them."

A minute later, the guard hustled into the room with his hands full of large pointy teeth.

"Excellent," the General said. He climbed onto the balcony railing and jumped down, twenty feet.

Where he landed, the marble floor cracked under his leather shoes.

He stood, wincing, and rubbed his shoulders. "Curse my stiff neck."

"Another hot pad, sir?" a guard asked. "More Tylenol?"

"No! It will pass." The General brushed off his silk suit, then snatched up the teeth. "I shall do this myself."

He held up one of the teeth and smiled. "Dinosaur teeth—ha! Those foolish mortals don't even know when they have dragon teeth in their possession. And not just _any_ dragon teeth. These come from the ancient Sybaris herself! They shall do nicely."

He planted them in the dirt, twelve in all. Then he scooped up the watering can. He sprinkled the soil with red liquid, tossed the can away, and held his arms out wide. "Rise!"

The dirt trembled. A single, skeletal hand shot out of the ground, grasping at the air.

The General looked up at the balcony. "Quickly, do you have the scent?"

"Yesssss, lord," one of the snake ladies said. She took out a sash of silvery fabric, like the kind the Hunters wore.

"Excellent," the General said. "Once my warriors catch its scent, they will pursue its owner relentlessly. Nothing can stop them, no weapons known to half-blood or Hunter. They will tear the Hunters and their allies to shreds. Toss it here!"

As he said that, skeletons erupted from the ground. There were twelve of them, one for each tooth the General had planted. They were nothing like Halloween skeletons, or the kind you might see in cheesy movies. These were growing flesh as I watched, turning into men, but men with dull gray skin, yellow eyes, and modern clothes—gray muscle shirts, camo pants, and combat boots. If you didn't look too closely, you could almost believe they were human, but their flesh was transparent and their bones shimmered underneath, like X-ray images.

One of them looked straight at me, regarding me coldly, and I knew that no cap of invisibility would fool it.

The snake lady released the scarf and it fluttered down toward the General's hand. As soon as he gave it to the warriors, they would hunt Zoe and the others until they were extinct.

I didn't have time to think. I ran and jumped with all my might, plowing into the warriors and snatching the scarf out of the air.

"What's this?" bellowed the General.

I landed at the feet of a skeleton warrior, who hissed.

"An intruder," the General growled. "One cloaked in darkness. Seal the doors!"

"It's Percy Jackson!" Ethan yelled. "It has to be."

I sprinted for the exit, but heard a ripping sound and realized the skeleton warrior had taken a chunk out of my sleeve. When I glanced back, he was holding the fabric up to his nose, sniffing the scent, handing it around to his friends. My eyes widened and I wanted to curse, but I couldn't. I squeezed through the door just as the guards slammed it shut behind me.

And then I ran.

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

**I also apologize for any grammatical errors in the chapter above.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	11. Lion Time

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

**I'm sorry to bother you about the poll, but I realized that people weren't realizing they could vote for two so I set up a survey for you to fill out. Go to my profile page to find it (Survey Monkey).**

**If this doesn't work, then go to the link that's on my profile page at the bottom of the Author Bio.**

**Unlike other authors, I will continue to post even if my review count does not rise. I'm just that nice.**

**I also wrote the next chapter since this one was so short. If you read this first, good for you. I'll make another note on chapter 11.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Περσεύς 10**

**Lion Time**

I tore across the Mall, not daring to look behind me. I burst into the Air and Space Museum and took off my invisibility cap once I was through the admissions area.

The main part of the museum was one huge room with rockets and airplanes hanging from the ceiling. Three levels of balconies curled around, so you could look at the exhibits from all different heights. The place wasn't crowded, just a few families and a couple of tour groups of kids, probably doing one of those holiday school trips. I wanted to yell at them all to leave, but I figured that would only get me arrested. I had to find Thalia and Grover and the Hunters. Any minute, the skeleton dudes were going to invade the museum, and I didn't think they would settle for an audio tour.

Then I barreled up the ramp to the top-floor balcony when a flying fist suddenly came my way.

I fell to the ground as Grover yelped in surprise.

Before I knew it, Zoe and Bianca had their bows notched. Their bows had just appeared out of nowhere.

When Zoe realized who I was, she didn't seem anxious to lower her bow. "You! How dare you show thy face here?"

"Percy?" said Thalia confused and a little disbelievingly. She looked angry, but kind of apologetic as well.

"Percy!" Grover said. "Thank goodness."

Zoe glared at him, and he blushed. "I mean, um, gosh. You're not supposed to be here!"

I groaned and tried getting up, but the fact that I was tired from sprinting to find them and the fact that I'd gotten nailed in the face by a girl who could really punch made me rethink about that. Instead, I rolled onto my back and said, "Ethan's here."

Thalia's look of anger completely overtook the hint of an apologetic look. "That motherfu—" She cut herself off. "Where is he?" she demanded, her hand going to her silver bracelet.

I told them about the Natural History Museum, Dr. Thorn, Luke, and the General.

"The General is _here_?" Zoe looked stunned. "That is impossible! You lie."

"Why would I lie? Look, there's no time. Skeleton warriors—"

"_What_?" Thalia demanded. "How many?"

"Twelve," I said. "And that's not all. Atlas, the General, he said he was sending something, a 'playmate,' to distract you over here. A monster."

Thalia and Grover exchanged looks.

"We were following Artemis's trail," Grover said. "I was pretty sure it led here. Some powerful monster scent…She must've stopped here looking for the mystery monster. But we haven't found anything yet."

"Zoe," Bianca said nervously, "if it _is_ the General—"

"It _cannot_ be!" Zoe snapped. "Percy must have seen an Iris-message or some other illusion."

"Illusions don't crack marble floors," I told her.

Zoe took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. I didn't know why she was taking it so personally, or how she knew this General guy, Atlas, but I figured now wasn't the time to ask. "If Percy is telling the truth about the skeleton warriors," she said, "we have no time to argue. They are the worst, the most horrible…We must leave now."

"Zoe," I swallowed. "Atlas, the General, wanted to have the skeletons follow your scent. I watched them take the fabric of the Hunters, to kill you and Bianca off while they isolated Thalia. I have no idea why but—"

Zoe and Bianca both paled. "They're coming after us," Bianca gulped, trying to act as brave as she could.

I shook my head, causing confused looks. I showed them my ripped sleeve. "You need to get out. I'll protect you guys. And...well, don't give in, Thalia. Whatever they give to you. If I die, you'll be the prophecy child."

"You shouldn't have come, Percy," Thalia replied grimly, looking at my ripped sleeve. "But since you are, you can't stay behind. I have a feeling Zoe may be..._right_ about those skeletons." She gave Zoe a sour look. "Let's get back to the van."

"That is not thy decision!" Zoe snapped.

Thalia scowled at her. "You're not the boss here, Zoe. I don't care how old you are! You're still a conceited little brat!"

"You never had any wisdom when it came to boys," Zoe growled. "You never could leave them behind!"

Thalia looked like she was about to hit Zoe. Then everyone froze, I heard a growl so loud I thought one of the rocket engines was starting up.

Below us, a few adults screamed. A little kid's voice screeched with delight: "Kitty!"

Something enormous bounded up the ramp. It was the size of a pick-up truck, with silver claws and golden glittering fur. I'd seen this monster once before. Two years ago, I'd glimpsed it briefly from a train. Now, up close and personal, it looked even bigger.

"The Nemean Lion," Thalia said. "Don't move."

The lion roared so loud it parted my hair. Its fangs gleamed like stainless steel.

"Separate on my mark," Zoe said. "Try to keep it distracted."

"Until when?" Grover asked.

"Until I think of a way to kill it. Go!"

I uncapped Riptide and rolled to the left. Arrows whistled past me, and Grover played a sharp _tweet-tweet_ cadence on his reed pipes. I turned and saw Zoe and Bianca climbing the Apollo capsule. They were firing arrows, one after another, all shattering harmlessly against the lions metallic fur. The lion swiped the capsule and tipped it on its side, spilling the Hunters off the back. Grover played a frantic, horrible tune, and the lion turned toward him, but Thalia stepped into its path, holding up Aegis, and the lion recoiled. "_ROOOAAAR_!"

"Hi-yah!" Thalia said. "Back!"

The lion growled and clawed the air, but it retreated as if the shield were a blazing fire.

For a second, I thought Thalia had it under control. Then I saw the lion crouching, its leg muscles tensing. I'd seen enough cat fights in the alleys around my apartment in New York. I knew the lion was going to pounce.

"Hey!" I yelled. I don't know what I was thinking, but I charged the beast. I just wanted to get it away from my friends. I slashed with Riptide, a good strike to the flank that should've cut the monster into Meow Mix, but the blade just clanged against its fur in a burst of sparks.

The lion raked me with its claws, ripping off a chunk of my coat. I backed against the railing. It sprang at me, one thousand pounds of monster, and I had no choice but to turn and jump.

I slid down to the bottom of the balcony and swung so that I crashed into the wall of the museum. I fell down the wall until I grabbed onto a tiny little ledge. I swung my legs wildly until I found a foothold of a small window and then turned my head to see what had happened.

A plane looked ready to fall as the lion leaped from it. Just as expected, as soon as the lion left its legs, the cords holding the plane up snapped and caused it to fall to the ground. Mortals ran in mass panic, trying to get out of the way of the destruction.

I stared at the beast trying to remember if the lion had any weak spots.

"_ROAAARRR!_" the lion yelled before taking a leap at Zoe and Bianca, who hastily jumped down to the next exhibit.

I narrowed my eyes before an idea popped into my head. The mouth was definitely a weak spot, the only weak spot. Heracles strangled the beast to death, but no one would be as strong as the demigod son of Zeus.

"Zoe," I shouted. "Aim for the mouth!"

I began climbing down toward the ground, eventually having to fall off a ten-foot-tall ledge. I timed my roll perfectly and ran to a giant globe, right under the monster. I looked back up to the beast and tried thinking of ways to distract it from the Hunters. Luckily for me, it seemed to notice my presence and it leaped down onto a spaceship.

"Grover!" I yelled. "Clear the area!"

Groups of kids were running around screaming. Grover tried to corral them away from the monster just as the other cord on the spaceship snapped and the exhibit crashed to the floor. Thalia dropped off the second-floor railing and landed across from me, on the other side of the globe. The lion regarded us both, trying to decide which of us to kill first.

Zoe and Bianca were above us, bows ready, but they kept having to move around to get a good angle.

"No clear shot!" Zoe yelled. "Get it to open its mouth more!"

The lion snarled from the top of the globe.

I looked around. _Options_. I needed…

The gift shop. I had a vague memory from my trip here as a little kid. Something I'd made my mom buy me, and I'd regretted it. If they still sold that stuff…

"Thalia," I said, "keep it occupied."

She nodded grimly.

"Hi-yah!" She pointed her spear and a spidery arc of blue electricity shot out, zapping the lion in the tail.

"_ROOOOOOOAR_!" The lion turned and pounced. Thalia rolled out of its way, holding up Aegis to keep the monster at bay, and I ran for the gift shop.

"This is no time for souvenirs, boy!" Zoe yelled.

I dashed into the shop, knocking over rows of T-shirts, jumping over tables full of glow-in-the-dark planets and space ooze. The sales lady didn't protest. She was too busy cowering behind her cash register.

There! On the far wall—glittery silver packets. Whole racks of them. I scooped up every kind I could find and ran out of the shop with an armful.

Zoe and Bianca were still showering arrows on the monster, but it was no good. The lion seemed to know better than to open its mouth too much. It snapped at Thalia, slashing with its claws. It even kept its eyes narrowed to tiny slits.

Thalia jabbed at the monster and backed up. The lion pressed her.

"Percy," she called, "whatever you're going to do—"

The lion roared and swatted her like a cat toy, sending her flying into the side of a Titan rocket. Her head hit the metal and she slid to the floor.

I growled. "Hold on, Zoe and Bianca!"

With all of my might, I stomped on the ground and caused the earth to shake a little. "Hey! You stupid ugly beast! Pay attention to me!"

It turned toward me and snarled.

There was only one way to get close enough. I charged, and as the lion leaped to intercept me, I chunked a space food pouch into its maw—a chunk of cellophane-wrapped, freeze-dried strawberry parfait.

The lion's eyes got wide and it gagged like a cat with a hairball.

I couldn't blame it. I remembered feeling the same way when I'd tried to eat space food as a kid. The stuff was just plain nasty.

"Zoe, get ready!" I yelled.

Behind me, I could hear people screaming. Grover was playing another horrible song on his pipes.

I scrambled away from the lion. It managed to choke down the space food packet and looked at me with pure hate.

"Snack time!" I yelled.

It made the mistake of roaring at me, and I got an ice-cream sandwich in its throat. Fortunately, I had always been a pretty good pitcher, even though baseball wasn't my game. Before the lion could stop gagging, I shot in two more flavors of ice cream and a freeze-dried spaghetti dinner.

It made a guttural sound and I took out my knife. "And here's your desert!" Then I threw the knife which pierced the lion's throat. It roared and reared on its hind legs, knowing it was going to die.

"Now!" I shouted.

Immediately, arrows pierced the lion's maw—two, four, six. The lion thrashed wildly, turned, and fell backward. And then it was still.

Alarms wailed throughout the museum. People were flocking to the exits. Security guards were running around in a panic with no idea what was going on.

Grover knelt at Thalia's side and helped her up. She seemed okay, just a little dazed. Zoe and Bianca dropped from the balcony and landed next to me.

Zoe eyed me cautiously. "That was…an interesting strategy."

"Hey, it worked."

She didn't argue.

The lion seemed to be melting, the way dead monsters do sometimes, until there was nothing left but its glittering fur coat, and even that seemed to be shrinking to the size of a normal lion's pelt. I noticed Triametalla shining on the floor next to it, as if it had just gotten a polish. When I picked it up, it felt as though it had been through monster saliva.

Wrinkling my nose, I wiped it on my coat sleeve and put it back into my pocket.

"Take it," said Zoe bluntly.

"What?" I said confused.

"Take the lion's pelt," she answered.

I stared at her. "What, the lion's fur? Isn't that, like, an animal rights violation or something?"

"It is a spoil of war," she told me. "It is rightly thine."

"You killed it," I said.

She shook her head, almost smiling. "I think thy ice-cream sandwich did that. Fair is fair, Percy Jackson. Take the fur."

I lifted it up; it was surprisingly light. The fur was smooth and soft. It didn't feel at all like something that could stop a blade. As I watched, the pelt shifted and changed into a coat—a full-length golden-brown duster.

"Not exactly my style," I murmured. "Seriously, Zoe. This would look way better on you."

Finally a smile broke through, a small one but a smile nonetheless. "You look ridiculous, Percy Jackson. It fits your personality and your sex: ridiculous."

I rolled my eyes, knowing things wouldn't change. I could be angry and beat her up, but nothing would change, in fact, that would just support her argument.

"We have to get out of here," Grover said. "The security guards won't stay confused for long."

I noticed for the first time how strange it was that the guards hadn't rushed forward to arrest us. They were scrambling in all directions except ours, like they were madly searching for something. A few were running into the walls or each other.

"You did that?" I asked Grover.

He nodded, looking a little embarrassed. "A minor confusion song. I played some Barry Manilow. It works every time. But it'll only last a few seconds."

"The security guards are not our biggest worry," Zoe said. "Look."

Through the glass walls of the museum, I could see a group of men walking across the lawn. Gray men in gray camouflage outfits. They were too far away for us to see their eyes, but I could feel their gaze aimed straight at me.

"Go," I said. "They'll be hunting me. I'll distract them. I've got the pelt."

"No," Zoe said. "We go together."

I stared at her. "But, you said—"

"You are part of this quest now," Zoe said grudgingly. "I do not like it, but there is no changing fate. _You_ are the fifth quest member. And we are not leaving anyone behind."

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

**I also apologize for any grammatical errors in the chapter above.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	12. Sun West Line

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

**I'm sorry to bother you about the poll, but I realized that people weren't realizing they could vote for two so I set up a survey for you to fill out. Go to my profile page to find it (Survey Monkey).**

**If this doesn't work, then go to the link that's on my profile page at the bottom of the Author Bio.**

**Unlike other authors, I will continue to post even if my review count does not rise. I'm just that nice.**

**Since the previous chapter was so short, I wrote this chapter before I even uploaded chapter 10. So, to make this process go a little faster, I'm uploading this at the same time as chapter 10.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Περσεύς 11**

**Sun West Line**

We were crossing the Potomac when we spotted the helicopter. It was a sleek, black military model just like the one we'd seen at Westover Hall. And it was coming straight toward us.

"They know the van," I said. "We have to ditch it."

Zoe swerved into the fast lane. The helicopter was gaining.

"Maybe the military will shoot it down," Grover said hopefully.

"The military probably thinks it's one of theirs," I said. "How can the General use mortals, anyway?"

"Mercenaries," Zoe said bitterly. "It is distasteful, but many mortals will fight for any cause as long as they are paid."

"But don't these mortals see who they're working for?" I asked. "Don't they notice all the monsters around them?"

Zoe shook her head. "I do not know how much they see through the Mist. I doubt it would matter to them if they knew the truth. Sometimes mortals can be more horrible than monsters."

The helicopter kept coming, making a lot better time than we were through D.C. traffic.

Thalia closed her eyes and prayed hard. "Hey, Dad. A lightning bolt would be nice about now. Please?"

But the sky stayed gray and snowy. No sign of a helpful thunderstorm.

"Thalia," I said. "You know gods can't interfere right now. Gods damn...I wish I'd thought of bringing an RPG."

"Yeah, I don't think shooting down that helicopter will earn us any prizes from the military," said Grover meekly.

"And Percy? You can shut the hell up."

"There!" Bianca said. "That parking lot!"

"We'll be trapped," Zoe said.

"Trust me," Bianca said.

Zoe shot across two lanes of traffic and into a mall parking lot on the south bank of the river. We left the van and followed Bianca down some steps.

"Subway entrance," Bianca said. "Let's go south. Alexandria."

"Anything," Thalia agreed.

We bought tickets and got through the turnstiles, looking behind us for any signs of pursuit. A few minutes later we were safely aboard a southbound train, riding away from D.C. As our train came above ground, we could see the helicopter circling the parking lot, but it didn't come after us.

Grover let out a sigh. "Nice job, Bianca, thinking of the subway."

Bianca looked pleased. "Yeah, well. I saw that station when Nico and I came through last summer. I remember being really surprised to see it, because it wasn't here when we used to live in D.C."

Grover frowned. "New? But that station looked really old."

"I guess," Bianca said. "But trust me, when we lived here as little kids, there was no subway."

Thalia sat forward. "Wait a minute. No subway at all?"

Bianca nodded.

I bit my lip as the others looked at her with confused looks.

"Bianca," Zoe said. "How long ago…" Her voice faltered. The sound of the helicopter was getting louder again.

"We need to change trains," I said. "Next station."

Over the next half hour, all we thought about was getting away safely. We changed trains twice. I had no idea where we were going, but after a while we lost the helicopter.

Unfortunately, when we finally got off the train we found ourselves at the end of the line, in an industrial area with nothing but warehouses and railway tracks. And snow. Lots of snow. It seemed much colder here. I was glad for my new lion's fur coat.

We wandered through the railway yard, thinking there might be another passenger train somewhere, but there were just rows and rows of freight cars, most of which were covered in snow, like they hadn't moved in years.

A homeless guy was standing at a trash-can fire. We must've looked pretty pathetic, because he gave us a toothless grin and said, "Y'all need to get warmed up? Come on over!"

We huddled around his fire, Thalia's teeth were chattering. She said, "Well this is g-g-g-great."

"My hooves are frozen," Grover complained.

I made eye contact with the homeless dude who gave me a sly wink. I narrowed my eyes, but the homeless guy just gave us a huge, idiotic smile under a tangle of a beard.

"Maybe we should contact camp," Bianca said. "Chiron—"

"No," Zoe said. "They cannot help us anymore. We must finish this quest ourselves."

I gazed miserably around the rail yard. Somewhere, far to the west, Annabeth and Luke were in danger. Artemis was in chains. A doomsday monster was on the loose. And we were stuck on the outskirts of D.C., sharing a homeless persons fire.

"You know," the homeless man said, "you're never completely without friends." His face was grimy and his beard tangled, but his expression seemed kindly. "You kids need a train going west?"

"Yes, sir," I said. "You know of any?"

He pointed one greasy hand.

Suddenly I noticed a freight train, gleaming and free of snow. It was one of those automobile-carrier trains, with steel mesh curtains and a triple-deck of cars inside. The side of the freight train said SUN WEST LINE.

"That's…convenient," Thalia said. "Thanks, uh…"

She turned to the homeless guy, but he was gone. The trash can in front of us was cold and empty, as if he'd taken the flames with him.

An hour later we were rumbling west. There was no problem about who would drive now, because we all got our own luxury car. Zoe and Bianca were crashed out in a Lexus on the top deck. Grover was playing race car driver behind the wheel of a Lamborghini. And Thalia had hot-wired the radio in a black Mercedes SLK so she could pick up the alt-rock stations from D.C.

"Join you?" I asked her.

She shrugged, so I climbed into the shotgun seat.

The radio was playing the White Stripes. I knew the song because it was one of the only CDs I owned that my mom liked. She said it reminded her of Led Zeppelin. Thinking about my mom made me sad, because of her death. I frowned as Kronos' words repeated in my brain giving me another headache.

"Nice coat," Thalia told me.

I pulled the brown duster around me, thankful for the warmth. "Yeah, but the Nemean Lion wasn't the monster we're looking for."

"Not even close. We've got a long way to go."

"Whatever this mystery monster is, the General said it would come for you. They wanted to isolate you from the group, so the monster will appear and...wait."

"_Wait_ what?"

I frowned. "They said they wanted to isolate you, as if you were going to help them. But if this monster is something that is the bane of Olympus, likely it's going to be something you have to battle."

She shrugged. "Maybe they want me to die and find a way to manipulate it so that it looks like it was the gods' fault. Then you would join them. I mean, if you really care for me."

"Well, either way you're being used as bait."

"Great, because I _love_ being used as bait."

I chuckled before turning serious. "No idea what the monster might be?"

She shook her head morosely. "But you know where we're going, don't you? San Francisco. That's where Artemis was heading."

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I went through San Francisco once when I was a kid. It's kind of a nice city. The Bay Area."

Thalia raised an eyebrow. "Then I guess you weren't paying attention to Mount Tam, or rather, the Mountain of Despair."

"Mountain of Despair," I repeated. "Atlas is the General, then. I know that for sure."

"I was afraid of that," Thalia answered.

I looked out of the windshield, the sun shining through the steel-mesh side of the freight car. It made the car shine just a tad brighter than what it would have been if completely dark. I glanced over at Thalia who was staring out her window. I watched her as her face slowly turned angry. She seemed to be thinking about something that was aggravating her.

Then I noticed a shadow that was cast across her face by the afternoon sun. I thought about how different she was from Zoe—Zoe all formal and aloof like a princess, Thalia with her ratty clothes and her rebel attitude. But there was something similar about them, too. The same kind of toughness. Right now, sitting in the shadows with a gloomy expression, Thalia looked a lot like one of the Hunters.

Then suddenly, it hit me: "That's why you don't get along with Zoe."

Thalia frowned. "What?"

"The Hunters tried to recruit you," I guessed.

Her eyes got dangerously bright. I thought she was going to zap me out of the Mercedes, but she just sighed. I almost joined them," she admitted. "Luke, Annabeth, and I ran into them once, and Zoe tried to convince me. She almost did, but…"

"But?"

Thalia's fingers gripped the wheel. "I would've had to leave Luke."

"Oh."

"Zoe and I got into a fight. She told me I was being stupid. She said I'd regret my choice. She said Luke would let me down someday."

I watched the sun through the metal curtain. We seemed to be traveling faster each second—shadows flickering like an old movie projector.

"Well, at least she was wrong," I said. "Turns out I'd be that one." I chuckled emotionlessly and looked out the windshield again. "Because you love being the one who took someone else's metaphorical heart, crushed it, and then stomped on it."

"Or you love being the one who gets your heart taken out, crushed and stomped on," she replied. "But I guess...I guess it's kind of historical. I'm just afraid that one day Annabeth may suffer the same fate as I did."

I looked at Thalia sadly. "Why? You don't trust Luke?"

She shook her head, which surprised me. When she turned her head to me, her eyes were red, but I couldn't if it was anger or sadness. "I used to trust you more than Luke, even when we fought. You just seemed so trustworthy...I can't believe that you would...do what you did."

I sat in silence, not wanting to argue against _or_ for her case.

"So...I—I hate the Hunters, and I always have but..." She looked up at me. "Percy. What do you think of me joining the Hunters?"

I felt like my own heart was being crushed and stomped on. "Now that I've realized my mistake," I said, trying hard to keep my voice from cracking, "it's completely your choice, Thalia. As long as you do what you believe will make you happy or feel better...or to escape feeling tormented, I'm fine with it. If the gods offered you immortality, I'd urge you to take it."

After brief silence, I sighed. "You know what, Thals. Forget my stupid, thoughtful thoughts. They're stupid and frankly, all I've done is make things worse. I'm just going to be blunt about this." I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry about all of the pain I caused you. I'm sorry about all of the heart-wrenching betrayal you felt when I snapped at you. I'm sorry for being so reckless and careless toward your feelings. I don't deserve to be forgiven. I just...I made a mistake. Yes, I let Annabeth call me Seaweed Brain, and that is not fair that you can't. I just...forget me."

She gave me a look that looked a mixture of bitterness, sympathy and sadness.

"Join the Hunters," I told her. "It'd get you away from me, wouldn't it?"

She put her hand on top of mine before punching my face. "You're ridiculous, Percy," she said, her eyes a little teary. She was laughing a little, though. "Now, get out of my car. You're making me feel weak and insecure."

I felt so sorry about all of my actions that I didn't argue.

"Maybe Zoe can teach us a good lesson sometimes," I said, a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips.

Thalia glared at me before zapping me and shutting the power windows. But I could see the slightly amused face she wore before I could no longer see her.

I sighed sorrowfully. "Maybe you can teach me a few things, Zoe Nightshade."

* * *

I sat in the driver's seat of Grover's Lamborghini. Grover was asleep in the back. He'd finally given up trying to impress Zoe and Bianca with his pipe music after he played "Poison Ivy" and caused that very stuff to sprout from their Lexus's air conditioner.

As I watched the sun go down, I thought of Atlas and Artemis. I was afraid to go to sleep. I was worried what I might dream.

"Oh, don't be afraid of dreams," a voice said right next to me.

I looked over. Somehow, I wasn't surprised to find the homeless guy from the rail yard sitting in the shotgun seat. His jeans were so worn out they were almost white. His coat was ripped, with stuffing coming out. He looked kind of like a teddy bear that had been run over by a truck.

"If it weren't for dreams," he said, "I wouldn't know half the things I know about the future. They're better than Olympus tabloids." He cleared his throat, then held up his hands dramatically:

_"Dreams like a podcast,_

_Downloading truth in my ears._

_They tell me cool stuff."_

"Apollo?" I guessed, because I figured nobody else could make a haiku that bad.

He put his finger to his lips. "I'm incognito. Call me Fred."

"A god named Fred?"

"Eh, well…Zeus insists on certain rules. Hands off, when there's a human quest. Even when something really major is wrong. But nobody messes with my baby sister. _Nobody_."

"Can you help us, then?"

"Shhh. I already have. Haven't you been looking outside?"

"The train. How fast are we moving?"

Apollo chuckled. "Fast enough. Unfortunately, we're running out of time. It's almost sunset. But I imagine we'll get you across a good chunk of America, at least."

"But where is Artemis?"

His face darkened. "I know a lot, and I see a lot. But even I don't know that. She's…clouded from me. I don't like it."

I scratched my head. "That doesn't sound good. But, I mean, she's most likely on the Mountain of Despair."

Apollo paled. "What?" he squeaked.

"Mountain of Despair," I said. "I had a dream—"

"The General you'd mentioned," he said, finally realizing that fact. "He's Atlas, General of the Titan Army. His place for the world was on the Mountain of Despair, where the Atlas Mountains in Africa were. He held up the sky there. You're sure Artemis is there."

"Yes, I'm pretty sure. Annabeth was used to lure here."

Apollo cursed. "My sister's just really gotta love saving maidens...not that it isn't good that the mortal is still alive, but—URGH!"

Grover sleep-bleated in the back seat.

"What about the monster Artemis was seeking?" I asked. "Do you know what it is?"

"No," Apollo said. "But there is one who might. If you haven't yet found the monster when you reach San Francisco, seek out Nereus, the Old Man of the Sea. He has a long memory and a sharp eye. He has the gift of knowledge sometimes kept obscure from my Oracle."

"But it's _your_ Oracle," I protested. "Can't you tell us what the prophecy means?"

Apollo sighed. "You might as well ask an artist to explain his art, or ask a poet to explain his poem. It defeats the purpose. The meaning is only clear through the search."

"In other words, you don't know."

Apollo checked his watch. "Ah, look at the time! I have to run. I doubt I can risk helping you again, Percy, but remember what I said! Get some sleep! And when you return, I expect a good haiku about your journey!"

I wanted to protest that I wasn't tired and I'd never made up a haiku in my life, but Apollo pulled something out of his pocket. "And I believe you have the bullets for this."

The item that he'd pulled out of his pockets was a pistol, the very one Dr. Chase and I had experimented with during Mid-Term Break. He pulled out the ammo clip, loaded it with all the bullets I'd stuffed into my pocket (which was like five), and then stuffed it into my pockets.

Then he snapped his fingers, and the next thing I knew I was closing my eyes.

In my dream, I was somebody else. I was wearing an old-fashioned Greek tunic, which was a little too breezy downstairs, and laced leather sandals. The Nemean Lion's skin was wrapped around my back like a cape, and I was running somewhere, being pulled along by a girl who was tightly gripping my hand.

"Hurry!" she said. It was too dark to see her face clearly, but I could hear the fear in her voice. "He will find us!"

It was night-time. A million stars blazed above. We were running through tall grass, and the scent of a thousand different flowers made the air intoxicating. It was a beautiful garden, and yet the girl was leading me through it, as if we were about to die.

"I'm not afraid," I tried to tell her.

"You should be!" she said, pulling me along. She had long dark hair braided down her back. Her silk robes glowed faintly in the starlight.

We raced up the side of the hill. She pulled me behind a thorn bush and we collapsed, both breathing heavily. I didn't know why the girl was scared. The garden seemed so peaceful. And I felt strong. Stronger than I'd ever felt before.

"There is no need to run," I told her. My voice sounded deeper, much more confident. "I have bested a thousand monsters with my bare hands."

"Not this one," the girl said. "Ladon is too strong. You must go around, up the mountain to my father. It is the only way."

My inner-self got a stirring feeling at these words.

The hurt in her voice surprised the outer-me. She was really concerned, almost like she cared about the outer-me.

"I don't trust your father," I said.

"You should not," the girl agreed. "You will have to trick him. But you cannot take the prize directly. You will die.'"

I chuckled. "Then why don't you help me, pretty one?"

"I…I am afraid. Ladon will stop me. My sisters, if they found out…they would disown me."

"Then there's nothing for it." I stood up, rubbing my hands together.

"Wait." the girl said.

She seemed to be agonizing over a decision. Then, her fingers trembling, she reached up and plucked a long white brooch from her hair. "If you must fight, take this. My mother, Pleione, gave it to me. She was a daughter of the ocean, and the ocean's power is within it. _My_ immortal power."

The girl breathed on the pin and it glowed faintly. It gleamed in the starlight like polished abalone.

"Take it," she told me. "And make of it a weapon."

I laughed. "A hairpin? How will this slay Ladon, pretty one?"

"It may not," she admitted. "But it is all I can offer, if you insist on being stubborn."

The girl's voice softened my heart. I reached down and took the hairpin, and as I did, it grew longer and heavier in my hand, until I held a familiar bronze sword.

"Well balanced," I said. "Though I usually prefer to use my bare hands. What shall I name this blade?"

"Anaklusmos," the girl said sadly. "The current that takes one by surprise. And before you know it, you have been swept out to sea."

Before I could thank her, there was a trampling sound in the grass, a hiss like air escaping a tire, and the girl said, "Too late! He is here!"

I sat bolt upright in the Lamborghini's driver's seat. Grover was shaking my arm.

"Percy," he said. "It's morning. The train's stopped. Come on!"

I tried to shake off my drowsiness. Thalia, Zoe, and Bianca had already rolled up the metal curtains. Outside were snowy mountains dotted with pine trees, the sun rising red between two peaks.

I fished my pen out of my pocket and stared at it. _Anaklusmos_, the Ancient Greek name for Riptide. A different form, but I was sure it was the same blade I'd seen in my dream.

I looked up at one of my quest companions and watched as she ordered the others around in an organized fashion. Her hair was braided, just like the way it had been in the dream. I watched as she gave me and Grover a distasteful look, but I continued staring at her.

About my dream, I was sure of something else, too. The girl I had seen was Zoe Nightshade.

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

**I also apologize for any grammatical errors in the chapter above.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	13. I Go Snowboarding on Medusa's Face

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

**I'm sorry to bother you about the poll, but I realized that people weren't realizing they could vote for two so I set up a survey for you to fill out. Go to my profile page to find it (Survey Monkey).**

**If this doesn't work, then go to the link that's on my profile page at the bottom of the Author Bio.**

**Unlike other authors, I will continue to post even if my review count does not rise. I'm just that nice.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Περσεύς 12**

**I Go Sledding on Medusa's Face**

We'd arrived on the outskirts of a little ski town nestled in the mountains. The sign said WELCOME TO CLOUDCROFT, NEW MEXICO. The air was cold and thin. The roofs of the cabins were heaped with snow, and dirty mounds of it were piled up on the sides of the streets. Tall pine trees loomed over the valley, casting pitch-black shadows, though the morning was sunny.

I shivered involuntarily at the cold as we reached Main Street, which was at least half a mile from the train tracks. As we walked, I told Grover about my conversation with Apollo the night before—how he'd told me to seek out Nereus in San Francisco.

Grover looked uneasy. "That's good, I guess. But we've got to get there first."

I tried not to get too depressed about our chances. I didn't want to send Grover into a panic, but I knew we had another huge deadline looming, aside from saving Artemis in time for her council of the gods. The General had said Annabeth would only be kept alive until the winter solstice. That was Friday, only four days away. And he'd said something about a sacrifice. I didn't like the sound of that at all.

We stopped in the middle of town. You could pretty much see everything from there: a school, a bunch of tourist stores and cafes, some ski cabins, and a grocery store.

"Great," Thalia said, looking around. "No bus station. No taxis. No car rental. No way out."

"There's a coffee shop!" said Grover.

"Yes," Zoe said. "Coffee is good."

"And pastries," Grover said dreamily. "And wax paper."

Thalia sighed. "Fine. How about you two go get us some food. Percy, Bianca, and I will check in the grocery store. Maybe they can give us directions."

We agreed to meet back in front of the grocery store in fifteen minutes. Bianca looked a little uncomfortable coming with us, but she did.

Inside the store, we found out a few valuable things about Cloudcroft: there wasn't enough snow for skiing, the grocery store sold rubber rats for a dollar each, and there was no easy way in or out of town unless you had your own car.

"You could call for a taxi from Alamogordo," the clerk said doubtfully. "That's down at the bottom of the mountains, but it would take at least an hour to get here. Cost several hundred dollars."

The clerk looked so lonely, I bought a rubber rat. Then we headed back outside and stood on the porch.

"Wonderful," Thalia grumped. "I'm going to walk down the street, see if anybody in the other shops has a suggestion."

"But the clerk said—"

"I know," she told me. "I'm checking anyway."

I let her go. I knew how it felt to be restless. All half-bloods had attention deficit problems because of our inborn battlefield reflexes. We couldn't stand just waiting around.

Bianca and I stood together awkwardly. I mean…I was never very comfortable talking one-on-one with girls anyway, and I'd never been alone with Bianca before. I wasn't sure what to say, especially now that she was a Hunter and everything.

"Nice rat," she said at last.

I set it on the porch railing. Maybe it would attract more business for the store.

"So…how do you like being a Hunter so far?" I asked.

She pursed her lips. "You're not still mad at me for joining, are you?"

"Nah. Long as, you know…you're happy."

"I'm not sure 'happy' is the right word, with Lady Artemis gone. But being a Hunter is definitely cool. I feel calmer somehow. Everything seems to have slowed down around me. I guess that's the immortality."

I stared at her, trying to see the difference. She did seem more confident than before, more at peace. She didn't hide her face under a green cap anymore.

"Nico didn't understand my decision," Bianca murmured. She looked at me like she wanted assurance it was okay.

"He'll be all right," I said. "Camp Half-Blood takes in a lot of young kids. If I'd gone there after my mother was murdered, they probably would've taken me in."

"Your mother was murdered?" she asked.

"By Zeus," I nodded grimly.

Bianca frowned and looked out at the vast emptiness of Cloudcroft. After at least five seconds, she spoke up again. "Percy. I need to ask you about how I know you."

"What?"

"How do I know you?" she asked. "I—I remember your face." She knit her eyebrows. "You looked younger, younger than I was...but here you are older than me by two years. We were in a place...I think it was the hotel. But tell me, how do you remember me? How do I remember you?"

A couple hundred yards away, Grover and Zoe came out of the coffee shop loaded down with pastry bags and drinks.

I stared at the ground, trying not to give in and tell Bianca yet. I felt that everyone in our group needed to learn about it at the same time. "Where were _you_ before Westover, before arriving in D.C. a second time?"

She looked surprised by the sudden question. "Um, well...I think it was a boarding school in D.C. It seems like so long ago."

"You never lived with your parents? I mean, your mortal parent?"

"We were told our parents were dead. There was a bank trust for us. A lot of money, I think. A lawyer would come by once in a while to check on us. Then Nico and I had to leave that school."

"Why?"

She knit her eyebrows. "We had to go somewhere. I remember it was important. We traveled a long way. And we stayed in this hotel for a few weeks. Then we met you for like half a day or something. And then…I don't know. One day a different lawyer came to get us out. He said it was time for us to leave. He drove us back east, through D.C. Then up into Maine. And we started going to Westover."

"All right, and how different were things when you went through D.C.? Were things drastically different? And that subway...that's older than twelve years old, Bianca. I'd say it was made back in the seventies or eighties."

She shook her head, as if in disbelief. "I—I don't know, Percy! It's just so confusing."

"Sometimes that's the way things are in life, Bianca," I said. "When I first learned I was a demigod, I had almost been killed and my mother, who had raised me alone throughout her life, was dead. Honestly, I was angry and confused. I think that's what Nico feels right now, though. He's angry with your decision, but it was because he was confused as to why you would want to leave him."

She looked down guiltily. "I mean, I know it's selfish, but I wanted my own life and friends. I love Nico—don't get me wrong—I just needed to find out what it would be like not to be a big sister twenty-four hours a day. I _did_ take care of him all alone since the old boarding school. You can kind of relate to that, right? It's a lot of responsibility."

I thought about last summer, the way I'd felt when I found out I had a Cyclops for a baby brother. I _could _relate to what Bianca was saying.

"Zoe seems to trust you," I said.

She gave a small smile before Grover and Zoe arrived with a bunch of pastries, wax paper and drinks. Hot chocolate for Bianca and me. Coffee for them. I got a blueberry muffin.

"We should do the tracking spell," Zoe said. "Grover, do you have any acorns left?"

"Umm," Grover mumbled. He was chewing on a bran muffin, wrapper and all. "I think so. I just need to—"

He froze.

Suddenly, a warm breeze rustled past, like a gust of springtime had gotten lost in the middle of winter. Fresh air seasoned with wildflowers and sunshine. And something else—almost like a voice, trying to say something. A warning.

Zoe gasped. "Grover, thy cup."

Grover dropped his coffee cup, which was decorated with pictures of birds. Suddenly the birds peeled off the cup and flew away—a flock of tiny doves. My rubber rat squeaked. It scampered off the railing and into the trees—real fur, real whiskers.

Grover collapsed next to his coffee, which steamed against the snow. We gathered around him and tried to wake him up. He groaned, his eyes fluttering.

"Hey!" Thalia said, running up from the street. "I just…What's wrong with Grover?"

"I—I think that..." I trailed off, my mind unbelieving to what had just happened. It felt like the presence of the wild, like the presence of Pan.

"Uuuuuhhhh," Grover groaned.

"Well, get him up!" Thalia said. She had her spear in her hand. She looked behind her as if she were being followed. "We have to get out of here."

We made it to the edge of the town before the first two skeleton warriors appeared. They stepped from the trees on either side of the road. Instead of gray camouflage, they were now wearing blue New Mexico State Police uniforms, but they had the same transparent gray skin and yellow eyes.

They drew their handguns. I'll admit I used to think it would be kind of cool to learn how to shoot a gun, but I changed my mind as soon as the skeleton warriors pointed theirs at me.

Thalia tapped her bracelet. Aegis spiraled to life on her arm, but the warriors didn't flinch. Their glowing yellow eyes bored right into me.

I drew Riptide, though I wasn't sure what good it would do against guns.

Zoe and Bianca drew their bows, but Bianca was having trouble because Grover kept swooning and leaning against her.

"Back up," Thalia said.

We started to—but then I heard a rustling of branches. Two more skeletons appeared on the road behind us. We were surrounded.

I wondered where the other skeletons were. I'd seen a dozen at the Smithsonian. Then one of the warriors raised a cell phone to his mouth and spoke into it.

Except he wasn't speaking. He made a clattering, clicking sound, like dry teeth on bone. Suddenly I understood what was going on. The skeletons had split up to look for us. These skeletons were now calling their brethren. Soon we'd have a full party on our hands.

"It's near," Grover moaned.

"It's here," I said.

"No," he insisted. "The gift. The gift from the Wild."

I didn't know what the "gift of the Wild" was, but I was more worried about his condition. He could barely stand-up, not to mention fight.

"We'll have to go one-on-one," Thalia said. "Four of them. Four of us. Maybe they'll ignore Grover that way."

"Agreed," said Zoe.

"The Wild!" Grover moaned.

"Hey, you guys think that a gun will work on these skeletons?" I asked.

Zoe shook her head. "Using bullets would just be a waste. These skeletons cannot be killed in any way that I know of. If only that damned hero didn't—"

Another warm breeze blew threw the canyon, rustling the leaves of the trees.

I turned my attention back to the skeletons. "You know, girls. If you could strip the skeletons of their guns, that would be much appreciated. The fact that I'd said I would die at the Air and Space Museum...yeah, that was a lie."

"Who knew you didn't want to die to save us?" Thalia said sarcastically.

"This is serious." One of the skeleton's eyes glowed red. "Actually...THIS! IS! THE MIDDLE OF FREAKING NOWHERE!"

And I charged.

The first skeleton fired. Time slowed down. I won't say I could see the bullet, but I could feel its path, the same way I felt water currents in the ocean. I deflected it off the edge of my blade and kept charging.

The skeleton drew a baton and I sliced off his arms at the elbows. Then I swung Riptide through his waist and cut him in half.

His bones unknit and clattered to the asphalt in a heap. Almost immediately, they began to move, reassembling themselves. The second skeleton clattered his teeth at me and tried to fire, but I knocked his gun into the snow.

I turned around, pulled out my gun and fired just as the other two did. Then a bullet grazed the side of my abdomen. The second bullet never came.

"Celestial bronze bullets, huh?" I muttered. "They sure don't look like them."

"What the hell, Percy! You have a gun?!"

"No time to admire me!" I shouted at Thalia. "Fight!"

Shaking her head in disbelief, Thalia charged the second skeleton, who'd retrieve his gun from the snow. Zoe and Bianca distracted the third and fourth skeletons, while Grover stared at the three was his arms extended as if he was looking for a hug.

There was a crashing sound in the forest to our left, like a bulldozer. Maybe the skeletons' reinforcements were arriving. I got to my feet and ducked a police baton. The skeleton I'd cut in half was already fully re-formed, coming after me.

There was no way to stop them. Zoe and Bianca fired at their heads point-blank, but the arrows just whistled straight through their empty skulls. One lunged at Bianca, and I thought she was a goner, but she whipped out her hunting knife and stabbed the warrior in the chest. The whole skeleton erupted into flames, leaving a little pile of ashes and a police badge.

"How did you do that?" Zoe asked.

"I don't know," Bianca said nervously. "Lucky stab?"

"Well, do it again!"

Bianca tried, but the remaining three skeletons were wary of her now. They pressed us back, keeping us at baton's length.

"Plan?" I said as we retreated.

Nobody answered. The trees behind the skeletons were shivering. Branches were cracking.

"A gift," Grover muttered.

And then, with a mighty roar, the largest pig I'd ever seen came crashing into the road. It was a wild boar, thirty feet high, with a snotty pink snout and tusks the size of canoes. Its back bristled with brown hair, and its eyes were wild and angry.

"_REEEEEEEEET_!" it squealed, and raked the three skeletons aside with its tusks. The force was so great, they went flying over the trees and into the side of the mountain, where they smashed to pieces, thigh bones and arm bones twirling everywhere.

Then the pig turned on us.

Thalia raised her spear, but Grover yelled, "Don't kill it.'"

The boar grunted and pawed the ground, ready to charge.

"That's the Erymanthian Boar," Zoe said, trying to stay calm. "I don't think we _can_ kill it."

"It's a gift," Grover said. "A blessing from the Wild!"

The boar said "_REEEEEEET_!" and swung its tusk. Zoe and Bianca dived out of the way. I had to push Grover so he wouldn't get launched into the mountain on the Boar Tusk Express.

"Yeah, I feel blessed!" I said. "Scatter!"

We ran in different directions, and for a moment the boar was confused.

"It wants to kill us!" Thalia said.

"Of course," Grover said. "It's wild!"

"So how is that a blessing?" Bianca asked.

It seemed a fair question to me, but the pig was offended and charged her. She was faster than I'd realized. She rolled out of the way of its hooves and came up behind the beast. It lashed out with its tusks and pulverized the WELCOME TO CLOUDCROFT sign.

I racked my brain, trying to remember the myth of the boar. I was pretty sure Hercules had fought this thing once, but I couldn't remember how he'd beaten it. I had a vague memory of the boar plowing down several Greek cities before Hercules managed to subdue it. I hoped Cloudcroft was insured against giant wild boar attacks.

"Keep moving!" Zoe yelled. She and Bianca ran in opposite directions. Grover danced around the boar, playing his pipes while the boar snorted and tried to gouge him. But Thalia and I won the prize for bad luck. When the boar turned on us, Thalia made the mistake of raising Aegis in defense. The sight of the Medusa head made the boar squeal in outrage. Maybe it looked too much like one of his relatives. The boar charged us.

We only managed to keep ahead of it because we ran uphill, and we could dodge in and out of trees while the boar had to plow through them.

On the other side of the hill, I found an old stretch of train tracks, half buried in the snow.

"This way.'" I grabbed Thalia's hand and we ran along the rails while the boar roared behind us, slipping and sliding as it tried to navigate the steep hillside. Its hooves just were not made for this, thank the gods.

Ahead of us, I saw a covered tunnel. Past that, an old trestle bridge spanning a gorge. I had a crazy idea.

"Follow me!"

Thalia slowed down—I didn't have time to ask why—but I pulled her along and she reluctantly followed. Behind us, a ten-ton pig tank was knocking down pine trees and crushing boulders under its hooves as it chased us.

Thalia and I ran into the tunnel and came out on the other side.

"No!" Thalia screamed.

She'd turned as white as ice. We were at the edge of the bridge. Below, the mountain dropped away into a snow-filled gorge about seventy feet below.

The boar was right behind us.

"Come on!" I said. "It'll hold our weight, probably."

"I can't!" Thalia yelled. Her eyes were wild with fear.

The boar smashed into the covered tunnel, tearing through at full speed.

"Now!" I yelled at Thalia.

She looked down and swallowed. I swear she was turning green.

I didn't have time to process why. The boar was charging through the tunnel, straight toward us. Plan B. I tackled Thalia and sent us both sideways off the edge of the bridge, into the side of the mountain. We slid on Aegis like a snow-board, over rocks and mud and snow, racing downhill. The boar was less fortunate; it couldn't turn that fast, so all ten tons of the monster charged out onto the tiny trestle, which buckled under its weight. The boar free-fell into the gorge with a mighty squeal and landed in a snowdrift with a huge _POOOOOF_!

Thalia and I skidded to a stop. We were both breathing hard. I was cut up and bleeding. Thalia had pine needles in her hair. Next to us, the wild boar was squealing and struggling. All I could see was the bristly tip of its back. It was wedged completely in the snow like Styrofoam packing. It didn't seem to be hurt, but it wasn't going anywhere, either.

"I can't believe I didn't know," I said. I turned to Thalia. "You're afraid of heights."

Now that we were safely down the mountain, her eyes had their usual angry look. "Don't be stupid."

"That explains why you freaked out on Apollo's bus. Why you didn't want to talk about it."

She took a deep breath. Then she brushed the pine needles out of her hair. "If you tell anyone, I swear—"

"No, no," I said. "That's cool. You all right?"

She nodded tersely. "Yeah, I'm fine. You look worse than I do."

"But you still love me."

I received a hard punch to the jaw.

Above us, Grover's voice called, "Helloooooo?"

"Down here!" Thalia shouted.

A few minutes later, Zoe, Bianca, and Grover joined us. We stood watching the wild boar struggle in the snow.

"A blessing of the Wild," Grover said, though he now looked agitated.

"I agree," Zoe said. "We must use it."

"Hold up," Thalia said irritably. She still looked like she'd just lost a fight with a Christmas tree. "Explain to me why you're so sure this pig is a blessing."

Grover looked over, distracted. "It's our ride west. Do you have any idea how fast this boar can travel?"

"Fun," I said. "Like…pig cowboys."

Grover nodded. "We need to get aboard. I wish… I wish I had more time to look around. But it's gone now."

"What's gone?"

Grover didn't seem to hear me. He walked over to the boar and jumped onto its back. Already the boar was starting to make some headway through the drift. Once it broke free, there'd be no stopping it. Grover took out his pipes. He started playing a snappy tune and tossed an apple in front of the boar. The apple floated and spun right above the boar's nose, and the boar went nuts, straining to get it.

"Automatic steering," Thalia murmured. "Great."

She trudged over and jumped on behind Grover, which still left plenty of room for the rest of us.

Zoe and Bianca walked toward the boar.

"Wait a minute," I said, halting the Hunters in their snowy steps. "This blessing of the Wild. Do you think it could be..._him_?"

Zoe sighed deeply. "It has to be. I never thought I would feel that presence ever again. Petty humans and 'industrialization.' More like 'environmental decay.'"

"Are you two talking about..."

"Yes," said Zoe. "The Lord of the Wild, of course. Just for a moment, in the arrival of the boar, I felt the presence of Pan."

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

**I also apologize for any grammatical errors in the chapter above.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	14. 1 Shall Be Lost In the Land Without Rain

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

**I'm sorry to bother you about the poll, but I realized that people weren't realizing they could vote for two so I set up a survey for you to fill out. Go to my profile page to find it (Survey Monkey).**

**If this doesn't work, then go to the link that's on my profile page at the bottom of the Author Bio.**

**Unlike other authors, I will continue to post even if my review count does not rise. I'm just that nice.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Περσεύς 13**

**One Shall Be Lost in the Land Without Rain...**

We rode the boar until sunset, which was about as much as my back end could take. Imagine riding a giant steel brush over a bed of gravel all day. That's about how comfortable boar-riding was.

I have no idea how many miles we covered, but the mountains faded into the distance and were replaced by miles of flat, dry land. The grass and scrub brush got sparser until we were galloping (do boars gallop?) across the desert.

I hadn't been to this exact area before, at least not that I knew of; however, I knew we were in Arizona. I'd been to Phoenix before. Ironic that I'd met a phoenix in Phoenix.

As night fell, the boar came to a stop at a creek bed and snorted. He started drinking the muddy water, then ripped a saguaro cactus out of the ground and chewed it, needles and all.

"This is as far as he'll go," Grover said. "We need to get off while he's eating."

Nobody needed convincing. We slipped off the boar's back while he was busy ripping up cacti. Then we waddled away as best we could with our saddle sores.

After its third saguaro and another drink of muddy water, the boar squealed and belched, then whirled around and galloped back toward the east.

"It likes the mountains better," I guessed.

"I can't blame it," Thalia said. "Look."

Ahead of us was a two-lane road half covered with sand. On the other side of the road was a cluster of buildings too small to be a town: a boarded-up house, a taco shop that looked like it hadn't been open since before Zoe Nightshade was born, and a white stucco post office with a sign that said GILA CLAW, ARIZONA hanging crooked above the door. Beyond that was a range of hills...but then I noticed they weren't regular hills. The countryside was way too flat for that. The hills were enormous mounds of old cars, appliances, and other scrap metal. It was a junkyard that seemed to go on forever.

"No," I gulped. "Not this place."

The other gave me weird looks but shrugged them off. Thalia turned to Grover. "I don't suppose you got another wild boar up your sleeve?"

Grover was sniffing the wind, looking nervous. He fished out his acorns and threw them into the sand, then played his pipes. They rearranged themselves in a pattern that made no sense to me, but Grover looked concerned.

"That's us," he said. "Those five nuts right there."

"Which one is me?" I asked.

"The little deformed one," Zoe suggested.

"Oh, shut up."

"That cluster right there," Grover said, pointing to the left, "that's trouble."

"A monster?" Thalia asked.

Grover looked uneasy. "I don't smell anything, which doesn't make sense. But the acorns don't lie. Our next challenge…"

He pointed straight toward the junkyard. With the sunlight almost gone now, the hills of metal looked like something on an alien planet.

I inquired further, having a feeling of what we were about to face. "Wait, Grover. This is a junkyard, the Junkyard of the Gods to be exact. If there is a challenge, it has to be something Hephaestus threw out. Like..."

"An automaton!" the satyr exclaimed. "Sometimes knowing you're not that naive is wonderful."

"But what kind of automaton?" asked Bianca.

"Talos," I replied, causing Zoe to pale. "Well, at least a prototype. I ran into this place when I was on the run. Hephaestus found me here and warned me because I once found this cool statue of some god...sort of like what Nico had."

"Really? Like, his Mythomagic game?" Bianca asked. I nodded. "What god is it?"

"I forgot. Like I said, I was here a long time ago, back when I was nine or ten."

"Well," interrupted Thalia. "We should set up camp. I don't feel safe going through there at this time of day. And if you _are_ correct about Talos, we shouldn't go when it's not bright out."

We decided to camp for the night and try the junkyard in the morning as Thalia suggested. None of us really wanted to go Dumpster-diving in the dark.

Zoe and Bianca produced five sleeping bags and foam mattresses out of their backpacks. I don't know how they did it, because the packs were tiny, but must've been enchanted to hold so much stuff. I'd noticed their bows and quivers were also magic. I never really thought about it, but when the Hunters needed them, they just appeared slung over their backs. And when they didn't, they were gone.

The night got chilly fast, so Grover and I collected old boards from the ruined house, and Thalia zapped them with an electric shock to start a campfire. Pretty soon we were about as comfy as you can get in a rundown ghost town in the middle of nowhere.

"The stars are out," Zoe said.

She was right. There were millions of them, with no city lights to turn the sky orange.

"Amazing," Bianca said. "I've never actually seen the Milky Way."

"This is nothing," Zoe said. "In the old days, there were more. Whole constellations have disappeared because of human light pollution."

Although I was a city-boy, I knew she was right. It is because of human light pollution from the cities that make looking at the stars so hard. I wonder what is was like in the old days...

"What was it like back then, Zoe?" I asked. "Like, back before industrialization and stuff."

"It was less safe for humans, that can be said," she replied. "But for us Hunters, we did the exact same as we do know. We hunt dangerous animals, though going on a quest to save Artemis has never happened."

I really tried looking at Zoe. Something about her looking so similar to the Titan in my dreams gave me a funny feeling. I had a bad feeling about the relationship between them, but at the same time, my gut instinct told me to trust Zoe. It was a weird combination.

Grover sighed. He was still looking up at the stars like he was thinking about the light pollution problem. "If only Pan were here, he would set things right."

Zoe nodded sadly.

"Maybe it was the coffee," Grover said. "I was drinking coffee, and the wind came. Maybe if I drank more coffee…"

I smiled sadly. "I don't think coffee is going to be the answer, Grover. But about finding Pan...you know what that means, don't you?"

"What?"

"You gotta go back to New Mexico to find him."

Grover sighed. "You're right. Maybe...maybe New Mexico will solve this problem. He has to be in this state somewhere. He couldn't have radiated that much power after 2000 years of hiding. We're _so_ close!"

"What I want to know," Thalia said, looking at Bianca, "is how you destroyed one of the zombies. There are a lot more out there somewhere. We need to figure out how to fight them."

Bianca shook her head. "I don't know. I just stabbed it and it went up in flames."

"Maybe there's something special about your knife," I said.

"It is the same as mine," Zoe said. "Celestial bronze, yes. But mine did not affect the warriors that way."

"Maybe you have to hit the skeleton in a certain spot," I said.

Bianca looked uncomfortable with everybody paying attention to her.

"Never mind," Zoe told her. "We will find the answer. In the meantime, we should plan our next move. When we get through this junkyard, we must continue west. If we can find a road, we can hitchhike to the nearest city. I think that would be Las Vegas."

I winced as I saw Thalia beginning to open her mouth. Bianca beat him to it, though.

"No!" she said. "Not there!"

She looked really freaked out, like she'd just been dropped off the steep end of a roller coaster.

Zoe frowned. "Why?"

Bianca took a shaky breath. "I… I think we stayed there for a while. Nico and I. When we were traveling. And then Percy, and then...I can't remember…"

Zoe gave me a pointed look.

I sighed. "She was trapped in the Lotus Hotel and Casino, just like you and I, Thalia."

"Wait," Grover said. "What's the Lotus Hotel and Casino?"

"Didn't Thalia tell or Luke or Annabeth tell you the story? Years ago," I said, "Thalia and Luke got trapped in that casino for five years. It is enchanted so that time on the outside passes faster than time on the inside. The games in there are supposed to keep you wanting to stay forever, sort of like a modern-day take on the Lotus-eaters...but they aren't the Lotus-eaters."

"And how would you know about it?" Zoe asked warily.

"I got trapped in there myself," I explained. "That's where I first met Bianca and Nico. I was ten years old. Bianca was probably eleven...body-wise."

"Now here's the tricky part," said Thalia. "How old are you in terms of your birth date?"

"I…I don't remember. Please, I really don't want to talk about this."

Zoe sat forward, her eyebrows knit with concern. "You said that Washington, D.C., had changed when you went back last summer. You didn't remember the subway being there."

"Yes, but—"

"Bianca," Zoe said, "can you tell me the name of the president of the United States right now?"

"Don't be silly," Bianca said. She told us the correct name of the president.

"And who was the president before that?" Zoe asked.

Bianca thought for a while. "Roosevelt."

Zoe swallowed. "Theodore or Franklin?"

"Franklin," Bianca said. "F.D.R."

Thalia sat there wide-eyed and shocked.

"Franklin Delano Roosevelt," I said. "He was a son of Zeus—"

"And _not_ the last president," Zoe said. "Bianca, that was about seventy years ago."

"That's impossible," Bianca said. "I…I'm not that old."

We stayed silent for a while, but my head was swarming with questions, like bees in a hive. How had the di Angelo siblings gotten out of the hotel? Who came and got them? Why?

Before I could think about it more, we were hit with a blazing light from down the road. The headlights of a car appeared out of nowhere. I was half hoping it was Apollo, come to give us a ride again, but the engine was way too silent for the sun chariot, and besides, it was night-time. We grabbed our sleeping bags and got out of the way as a deathly white limousine slid to a stop in front of us.

I suddenly felt angry and my eyes widened. I put my hand to my waist and watched as the back door of the limo opened up right next to me.

Before even I knew what was happening, a sword had clattered to the ground and I was pointing my gun at a surprised recipient.

He was a big man with a crew cut, a black leather biker's jacket, black jeans, a white muscle shirt, and combat boots. Wraparound shades hid his eyes, but I knew what was behind those glasses—hollow sockets filled with flames.

"Ares," I growled.

"You've improved, punk," he said, grinning cruelly at me. "Maybe we should spar sometime."

"Depends," I said, holding my gun still, pointing it at his skull. "If you're still brainwashed, I'd be happy to shoot a bullet through your skull. That'd hurt, god or not. If you don't mind a demigod who can actually beat you in combat, be my guest."

The war god grinned and snapped his fingers. The gun popped out of my hand and I felt to see where it had went. It had reappeared in my pocket.

When I looked up, Ares was making his way over to Thalia.

"Hey!" I called. "What are you doing?"

"My girlfriend loves gossiping," he said, grabbing Thalia and pulling her over to the limo. She scowled fiercely at the war god but followed him. "She just wants to talk a little bit to Thalia."

"Aphrodite?" I asked.

He just smiled and said, "Why don't you bring your little friends to get tacos or something, Jackson? The daughter of Zeus is only gonna be a few minutes."

"We will not leave her alone with thee, Lord Ares," Zoe said.

"Besides," Grover managed, "the taco place is closed."

Ares snapped his fingers again. The lights inside the taqueria suddenly blazed to life. The boards flew off the door and the CLOSED sign flipped to OPEN. "You were saying, goat boy?"

I locked eyes with Thalia. She nodded bravely and I was immediately convinced that she was going to be okay.

"Come on, girls and goat," I said. "Thalia can handle this."

Zoe took a reluctant step backwards before leading Bianca and Grover to the taqueria. I glared at the war god. "You better not take her away. I promise that I'll come find you and kill you if you do. I beat you when I was twelve. Apparently I've improved. Don't mess with her or you'll get a sword up your _podex_."

Ares glared back at me before his head twitched. "Leave, punk, before I incinerate you."

"Go, Percy," Thalia said. "I'll be fine. It's only Aphrodite. She won't kill me...hopefully."

I nodded and jogged to catch up to the others as they entered the taqueria. As soon as we entered, the smell of tacos filled up my nostrils. I saw four plates full of tacos sitting on the table closest to the door, steam rising up from the melted cheese.

"Oh my gods," Grover groaned. "That looks so delicious. I wish they had enchiladas, though .Enchiladas are the best."

"You can have mine," I said and went to a seat facing the window. I plopped onto the seat and looked out at the white limo. I gave a menacing look to the god standing outside of the limousine, who was chuckling, as if what Thalia and the love goddess were talking about was funny.

I was too busy thinking about Thalia and Aphrodite that I didn't even notice the presence next to me until a fist came flying at my face.

I turned around to glare at Zoe while I clutched my face in pain. "What the Hades was that for?"

"Because you wouldn't listen to me," she growled. Then she breathed in slowly and calmed herself down. "Now, let's just try to have a civilized conversation before I decided to rip your head off."

I rolled my eyes but agreed.

Zoe started off the conversation. "About the prototype of Talos...are thou lying? Is the prototype actually there?"

I nodded solemnly. "Yeah. It's there. Trust me, even if I am a _male hero_."

Zoe stared at me. "Why the emphasis on _male _and _hero_?"

"Am I not that to you? Am I not just a regular male hero, one who destroys the lives of himself and the lives of the ones around him?"

Zoe stayed silent.

I looked at her and realized she looked, of all things, guilty. I breathed deeply. "Look, Zoe. You don't have to look that way. I am who I am. You can't change someone's view just because you want them to. I've learned that with you."

She nodded silently and we sat there uncomfortably for the next half a minute or so.

"I've lived with Artemis for so long, being the lieutenant of the Hunters," she started suddenly. "She taught me the ways of men, being disrespectful and untrustworthy. I've seen many examples of that. Men are cruel and heartless, though there are some exceptions. Those exceptions we leave alone. But never, in the many years I've been lieutenant of the Hunters, have I met someone like Perseus Jackson."

"What do you mean?"

"You broke Thalia's heart," she said. "It is something I can tell. I've heard that thou are the cause, yet thou still hang around her, trying to win that broken heart back. Why did it break in the first place? What foolish _thing_ did thou do to break her heart in the first place?"

I looked down. "I was angry. I was reckless. I was all of the things you describe as a man. I took it out on her when she called me stupid...even though it was just a joke. I knew she really liked me...and I like her, too, but I took her heart and crushed it into a pancake."

"Why is it that I've never met a man who puts himself down for everything specific thing he does?" asked the Hunter.

"Why is it that when people drill something into your head, you begin to believe them?" I asked, my eyes turning sad. "Why is it that whenever people call me stupid, jokingly or not, I seem to start believing them? Am I really stupid? Why is it that whenever I'm called a stupid boy, I remember how my mother spoke of the heroes of ancient Greece?"

Zoe gave me a curious look.

"When my mother told me stories of the heroes of ancient Greece, she always had a tinge of bitterness," I explained. "She never spoke of them highly. It was as if she was just telling me that the Greek heroes were worthless, but that I would be the only one, aside from Perseus, to have a good ending, to become a good person."

Zoe nodded grimly. I figured she remembered about Medea, Calypso, Ariadne and most importantly, herself.

I'd figured out my dream, who the hero was that betrayed Zoe Nightshade and left her for dead. In this short period of time, I'd figured out that Zoe was indeed a daughter of Atlas, a Hesperid. She was the fifth Hesperid, the only one to get disowned by her family and wiped out from history. I knew she had to be betrayed as she was a Hunter, but I never would have expected it to be Heracles, the strongest but stupidest hero to ever live.

"And the reason you hate me so much...it's not _me_, is it?" I asked. She clenched her teeth. "It's because who I remind you of, though I'm not as handsome or strong. It's the sword and the cloak."

She gritted her teeth. "Stop speaking, Percy."

I pulled Anaklusmos out of my pocket. I grabbed Zoe's hand gently and placed the pen in her hand. She flinched but eventually tightened her grip on the ballpoint pen. I watched as it miraculously shimmered, turning itself back into a hair clip, the very one I saw in my dream.

"Anaklusmos," I said.

"The current that takes one by surprise. And before you know it, you have been swept out to sea," Zoe replied sadly. She gripped onto the hair clip tightly and closed her eyes. She looked as though she were trying to crush my weapon. If she could, I'd be impressed...and kind of pissed.

Then I realized something. "You said _you_ like a normal person!"

She shook her head, a tiny smile tracing her lips. "I have always been able to say it that way. And remember, that was a Greek translation. I am able to say you properly. It is _your_ that I have trouble with."

Her eyes snapped open, shining with despondency. "Take thy stupid sword back," she said and threw it at me. I caught it and put it back into my pocket.

"Zoe, are you okay?"

She nodded. "How did you know? How did you know it was Heracles?"

"I had a dream, a dream showing me how Anaklusmos originated," I replied. "Chiron always told me that this sword had a tragic history. I'm sorry. If it helps, Heracles died a painful death."

"It doesn't, boy, but thank you for trying," she said. She shivered and stared at me weirdly. "I never thought I'd feel friendly to another boy again."

That's when a thought hit me like a bullet train. "We're headed for the Junkyard of the Gods, correct?" I asked. "Where the Talos prototype is?"

"Yes," Zoe said, frowning at the sudden change in topic. "Why?"

I looked down. "Make sure no one touches anything in the junkyard. And for what it's worth, I'll sacrifice myself when the time comes."

Zoe gave me a blank look. "What did you say, boy? What do you mean _sacrifice when the time comes_?"

I gulped. "Where are we?"

"Arizona."

"What is the climate here?"

"Hot and dry."

"And does it ever rain?"

Zoe's eyes widened. "You can't just choose to sacrifice yourself. The Fates choose who dies. You can't."

"It's probably me...and if it's not, I'll make it me," I said as confident as I could. "We've come too far to lose such valuable assets now. Bianca can't die...I made a promise to Nico to keep her safe. I can't lose Thalia. She may be able to live without me, but me without her...that is impossible. And you. You are a leader of this group. You can't die. Grover needs to find Pan. He needs to be the 'chosen one' and find Pan."

"Why not thyself?" Zoe asked. "Would you rather kill thyself to keep your friends and family alive?"

"In most cases, yes," I confirmed. "Zoe...I've lived my life far more than any gang member or even some adults. I grew up on the streets, Zoe. I never said it out loud...or thought about it, but I've seen rape, pedophilia, sex trade, gangs and drug deals, and even more. I've seen things I shouldn't have seen, the screaming of children as they watch their mother be raped by a robber. I've done things I shouldn't have been doing, brutally murdering horrible men and women in this world who do things that deserve the death penalty. But I try to stay positive. I try to stay on the light side of things. Thalia and Luke were lucky. They stayed in the swampy areas, away from the city. I've always been a city-boy: always have, always will. The city and surrounding suburban areas are where crimes happen most, even though it doesn't occur _that_ often. Some things are worth dying for, and to keep my powerful friends alive to stop Kronos from unleashing that kind of terror on Western Civilization is one of them. Stop Kronos, not for me, not just for those who die trying to stop the Titan Lord, but for all of those victims, the poor children and women and men who get beaten, raped and tortured in the slums of towns."

Zoe stared at me with a horrid fascination.

She opened her mouth to say something but before she could, my world turned upside down, did a three-sixty, and appeared standing on the side of the road where Thalia was lying.

"What did she _want_ with you?" Bianca asked, once Thalia told us about Aphrodite.

Thalia glanced at me and we locked eyes. "Nothing really," she said. "Just to stay away from her husband's junk."

Zoe narrowed her eyes. "The goddess of love would not make a special trip to tell thee that. Be careful, Thalia. Aphrodite has led many astray."

"I agree with Zoe," I said. "Aphrodite just has a way of twisting minds to her liking, as if we're puppets on her strings."

"So," Thalia said, anxious to change the subject, "how do we get out of here?"

"That way," Zoe said. "That is west."

"How can you tell?" I asked.

In the light of the full moon, I was surprised how well I could see her roll her eyes at me. "Ursa Major is in the north," she said, "which means _that_ must be west."

She pointed west, then at the northern constellation, which was hard to make out because there were so many other stars.

"Oh, yeah," I said. "The bear thing."

Zoe looked offended. "Show some respect. It was a fine bear. A worthy opponent."

"You act like it was real."

"Guys," Grover broke in. "Look!"

We'd reached the crest of a junk mountain. Piles of metal objects glinted in the moonlight: broken heads of bronze horses, metal legs from human statues, smashed chariots, tons of shields and swords and other weapons, along with more modern stuff, like cars that gleamed gold and silver, refrigerators, washing machines, and computer monitors.

"Whoa," Bianca said. "That stuff…some of it looks like real gold."

"It is," I said grimly. "Like Thalia said, don't touch anything. This is the junkyard of the gods."

"Junk?" Grover picked up a beautiful crown made of gold, silver, and jewels. It was broken on one side, as if it had been split by an axe. "You call this junk?"

He bit off a point and began to chew. "It's delicious!"

Thalia swatted the crown out of his hands. "We're serious!"

"Look!" Bianca said. She raced down the hill, tripping over bronze coils and golden plates. She picked up a bow that glowed silver in moonlight. "A Hunter's bow!"

She yelped in surprise as the bow began to shrink, and became a hair clip shaped like a crescent moon. "It's just like Percy's sword!"

Zoe's face was grim. "Leave it, Bianca."

"But—"

"It is here for a reason. Anything thrown away in this junkyard must stay in this yard. It is defective. Or cursed."

Bianca reluctantly set the hair clip down.

"I don't like this place," Thalia said. She gripped the shaft of her spear.

"You think we're going to get attacked by killer refrigerators?" I asked.

She gave me a hard look. "Zoe is right, Percy. Things get thrown away here for a reason. Now come on, let's get across the yard."

"Jeez, I was just joking," I muttered. "You think I don't know what's here?"

We started picking our way through the hills and valleys of junk. The stuff seemed to go on forever, and if it hadn't been for Ursa Major, we would've gotten lost. All the hills pretty much looked the same.

I'd like to say we left the stuff alone, but there was too much cool junk not to check out some of it. I found an electric guitar shaped like Apollo's lyre that was so sweet I had to pick it up. Grover found a broken tree made out of metal. It had been chopped to pieces, but some of the branches still had golden birds in them, and they whirred around when Grover picked them up, trying to flap their wings.

Finally, we saw the edge of the junkyard about half a mile ahead of us, the lights of a highway stretching through the desert. But between us and the road…

"What is that?" Bianca gasped.

Ahead of us was a hill much bigger and longer than the others. It was like a metal mesa, the length of a football field and as tall as goalposts. At one end of the mesa was a row of ten thick metal columns, wedged tightly together.

Bianca frowned. "They look like—"

"Toes," Grover said.

Bianca nodded. "Really, really large toes."

I saw Thalia and Zoe over to me. I nodded. "That's Talos. Don't take anything now. If you do...well, one of us is going to die."

"Let's go around," Zoe suggested. We all agreed hastily.

After several minutes of walking, we finally stepped onto the highway, an abandoned but well-lit stretch of black asphalt.

"We made it out," Zoe said. "Thank the gods."

But apparently the gods didn't want to be thanked. At that moment, I heard a sound like a thousand trash compactors crushing metal.

I whirled around. Behind us, the scrap mountain was boiling, rising up. The ten toes tilted over, and I realized why they looked like toes. They _were_ toes. The thing that rose up from the metal was a bronze giant in full Greek battle armor. He was impossibly tall—a skyscraper with legs and arms. He gleamed wickedly in the moonlight. He looked down at us, and his face was deformed. The left side was partially melted off. His joints creaked with rust, and across his armored chest, written in thick dust by some giant finger, were the words WASH ME.

I growled. "Who took something? I told you that someone is going to die!"

He moved one hand to his sword belt and drew his weapon. The sound of it coming out of its sheath was horrible, metal screeching against metal. The blade was a hundred feet long, easy. It looked rusty and dull, but I didn't figure that mattered. Getting hit with that thing would be like getting hit with a battleship.

The giant defective Talos took one step toward us, closing half the distance and making the ground shake.

"Run!" Grover yelped.

Great advice, except that it was hopeless. At a leisurely stroll, this thing could outdistance us easily.

We split up, the way we'd done with the Nemean Lion. Thalia drew her shield and held it up as she ran down the highway. The giant swung his sword and took out a row of power lines, which exploded in sparks and scattered across Thalia's path.

Zoe's arrows whistled toward the creature's face but shattered harmlessly against the metal. Grover brayed like a baby goat and went climbing up a mountain of metal.

Bianca and I ended up next to each other, hiding behind a broken chariot.

"You took something," I said. "That bow."

"No!" she said, but her voice was quivering.

"Give it back!" I said. "Throw it down!"

"I…I didn't take the bow! Besides, it's too late."

"What did. you take?"

Before she could answer, I heard a massive creaking noise, and a shadow blotted out the sky.

"Move!" I tore down the hill, Bianca right behind me, as the giant's foot smashed a crater in the ground where we'd been hiding.

"Hey, Talos!" Grover yelled, but the monster raised his sword, looking down at Bianca and me.

Grover played a quick melody on his pipes. Over at the highway, the downed power lines began to dance. I understood what Grover was going to do a split second before it happened. One of the poles with power lines still attached flew toward Talos' back leg and wrapped around his calf The lines sparked and sent a jolt of electricity up the giant's backside.

Talos whirled around, creaking and sparking. Grover had bought us a few seconds.

"Come on!" I told Bianca. But she stayed frozen. From her pocket, she brought out a small metal figurine, a statue of a god. "It…it was for Nico. It was the only statue he didn't have."

"How can you think of Mythomagic at a time like this?" I said.

There were tears in her eyes.

I bit my lip worriedly. "Put it back in your pocket," I ordered. I took off my lion's fur and put it on Bianca.

"What are you doing?" she asked as I struggled with putting the lion's fur on her.

The giant kept coming after Grover. It stabbed its sword into a junk hill, missing Grover by a few feet, but scrap metal made an avalanche over him, and then I couldn't see him anymore.

"No!" Thalia yelled. She pointed her spear, and a blue arc of lightning shot out, hitting the monster in his rusty knee, which buckled. The giant collapsed, but immediately started to rise again. It was hard to tell if it could feel anything. There weren't any emotions in its half-melted face, but I got the sense that it was about as ticked off as a twenty-story-tall metal warrior could be.

He raised his foot to stomp and I saw that his sole was treaded like the bottom of a sneaker. There was a hole in his heel, like a large manhole, and there were red words painted around it, which I deciphered only after the foot came down: FOR MAINTENANCE ONLY.

"Crazy-idea time," I said.

Bianca looked at me nervously. "Anything."

"Distract the metal monster," I told her.

"What are you doing?"

"You'll find out!"

I dashed towards the metal monster's leg and grabbed Triametalla out of my left pocket.

Thalia had its attention for the moment. She'd learned that the giant was big but slow. If you could stay close to it and not get smashed, you could run around it and stay alive. At least, it was working so far.

I got right next to the giant's foot, trying to balance myself on the metal scraps that swayed and shifted with his weight.

Zoe yelled, "What are you doing?"

"Get it to raise its foot!" I said.

Zoe shot an arrow toward the monster's face and it flew straight into one nostril. The giant straightened and shook its head.

"Hi-ya!" Thalia yelled and electricity crackled from her spear. It caught the attention of the metal beast and he raised his foot to crush Thalia. I braced myself and ran under the hole in the foot. I waited until the foot was around eight feet in the air before hopping into the hole and finding myself tangled in a whole bunch of wires.

I grunted and slashed at them with Triametalla. I used the tangled ropes as handholds and footholds, climbing my way to the top. I wasn't sure what was happening outside, but on the inside electricity was sparking everywhere, seemingly ready to kill me.

It was weird coming face to face with morality. I felt a lot different than I did a couple of years ago in the St. Louis arch. I'd blowtorched that monument and then jumped six hundred feet into the Mississippi River. Then, I'd been scared. Now, I was scared...but less scared.

A wire dropped down in front of me and zapped me. I jumped as the electricity coursed through me body. As I made my way up, I cut the wires that were inside, making sure to disable as much as I could.

The entire frame of the leg shook and I felt the hum of more electricity enter the beast. I grabbed the side of the leg I was climbing up and retracted it immediately after I got shocked. This caused me to fall a couple of feet into more open-ended wires. I got shocked even more, my heart feeling like it was about to be overcharged.

I shuddered and continued climbing until I reached the part that I considered the heart. It was just a huge machine, the heart of the automaton being an electric motor. The wires attached to the motor came from all over, stretching from the bottom of Talos' foot to his head.

I took a deep breath in before I pulled Anaklusmos out. I uncapped my sword and prepared myself. I closed my eyes and hacked at all of the wires that were connected to the automaton's heart.

Tendrils of electricity and sparks shot out like a firecracker making more electricity course through my body. I screamed Suddenly, more wires snapped and my clothes quickly caught fire. More electricity zapped my body until I could hear myself scream. All I could hear was this low buzz, my screaming being drowned out.

Pain racked through my body like crazy, as if Zeus was killing me slowly and painfully. I looked down at my body, which was charred heavily. More explosions of sparks flew, making my entire body catch fire. I couldn't hear myself scream, but I figured this was about as dead I could possibly be. I figured the electricity had disabled my nervous system. In the dead heat of Arizona, the electricity made my clothes catch fire like crazy, eating away at my clothes as easily as Grover eating enchiladas.

That's when the voice came to me.

_Percy Jackson_, a raspy voice hissed.

"Not you!" I heard myself yell.

_Be careful what you say, son of Poseidon,_ the voice hissed. _I am the only reason why you are not dead my now. I protect you, for it is not your time to die. You will be _lost in the land without rain_ as you must come with me to stay alive_.

"I'd rather die than come with you," I yelled.

_Haha. You don't realize who I am, do you?_ the voice said. _I am not Kronos, but a friend. I will put you in Kronos' territory, only because that is where you are destined to go. Save your friends, save Olympus._

My eyes widened. "Coeus?"

_Hello again, Percy_, he said. _It has been a long time since we've spoken._

"Why...how are you helping me?"

_I am a Titan, Percy, one of the original twelve. I am far from weak, especially as I have not been weakened by being in Tartarus for the past couple of thousand years. However, my limits limit you from going straight back to your friends. You've learned this lesson throughout your life: you must work for victory._

"So...I'll be saved but in a prison in Mount Othrys?"

_Unfortunately. You will be taken prisoner by my nephew, Atlas. However, your friends, Thalia, Zoe, Bianca and Grover will be at the mountain by tomorrow evening. You will not awaken until tomorrow afternoon, your wounds being too severe. This is even worse that your stab wound from the summer. I fear that only Kronos may be able to preserve your body as the way it was, though it would take a lot of his strength._

"Why...why can't you heal me?"

_I have, and I will, but not enough. With me, your scars will still remain._

"I don't care about scars!" I shouted. "I want to go back to my friends. I want to kill that traitor Ethan Nakamura. And I want to eradicate Kronos from this world once and for all!"

_In time, my friend, in time_._ Beware my nephew. He is almost as cruel as Kronos, my wretched brother. Your scars will forever remain if you choose not to go through Kronos. There will always be a flesh wound along your right arm and right leg, an inch-wide scar where your skin will never completely grow back that spans your forearm and your shin._

"What if I heal myself in water? Will the scars go away?"

_Maybe to a thin line; however, that line will always be there, whether it is the size of a hairline crack or that one inch._

"All...all right, Coeus. I will do that. Will my face be affected?"

_I'm sure your girlfriend wouldn't want you to be too harmed. I will take away all harm done to your face. Remember, I will dump you in water. Maybe the scars will become thin lines, like a long shallow cut made by a knife._

"Yes, sir."

_And remember, your quest to save Artemis is no longer a quest. For the bane of Olympus has not been found, and your group members do not know of it, finding Artemis is now a hunt._

"A hunt that must be completed by the Winter Solstice."

_Yes. Good luck, Percy Jackson. Take care._

And then I fell unconscious for real.

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

**I also apologize for any grammatical errors in the chapter above.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	15. Into the Hands of the Predator

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

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SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Περσεύς 14**

**Into the Hands of the Predator**

My dreams had continuously gotten worse as I got older. My latest was no exception.

I was on top of Mount Othrys, also known as the Mountain of Despair, and it was daytime, around noon. The swirling vortex of the sky appeared above me, the goddess Artemis still holding it up.

She looked horrible now, her clothes torn even more than before. There was a scratch running down the side of her face, golden ichor seeping out of the wound. Her teeth were clenched and her eyes were closed, her face distorted in pain. I couldn't imagine holding up the sky, even for a goddess like her. I would say she is the strongest goddess in terms of muscle strength and has the highest will out of the Olympians.

The fact that she was struggling to hold up the sky was not a good thing.

I saw a figure standing in the background, his grim face staring at the goddess of the moon.

I noticed the eye patch that covered his left eye and immediately felt relentlessly angry.

Artemis seemed to recognize the presence. "What are you doing here, traitor?" she growled.

"Thinking," was all the son of Nemesis said.

"You know you will not be able to win all of this," the goddess said. "My lieutenant and the daughter of Zeus are leading the rescue party. They will succeed."

"You seem to have much faith in one who refused to join the Hunt," Ethan noticed.

Artemis grunted. "She is still a maiden. She is not a lost cause yet."

"Your plan is foolish, Lady Artemis," he said. "The General will be able to kill your lieutenant with a quick swipe. Thalia will join us once she sees Luke on our side. I know she still harbors feelings for him, even if the son of Poseidon likes her."

Her eyes flashed with anger. "The son of Hermes joined you?" she asked demandingly.

Ethan let out a loud laugh. "Hades no. After what we did to Annabeth, he swore he would never join our cause. But that doesn't matter. Annabeth is still recovering, but she is weak, very weak. We never play by the rules. Blackmail is incredibly useful to get someone to act. It has happened before with spies in Camp Half-Blood."

"You watch," Artemis promised. "You will not succeed. You know that yourself. Kronos is just using you. But seeing as you are a boy, _you _will make the foolish decisions, not I."

Ethan's eyes flashed with malice. "This is why I chose to go against the gods. You are all corrupted, Zeus with his paranoia, you with your sexism, Dionysus with his hatred to heroes. Hah! I agree with Percy Jackson for once, the gods and goddess of Olympus are terrible. He sometimes even resents his own father. I talked to him at Camp Half-Blood. He opened up. I know what he thinks. He _will_ join our cause if a certain thing happens that the Olympians will be framed for. Do you know what he cherishes most?"

Artemis just growled. Ethan stepped forward. "His fatal flaw is personal loyalty. I knew that the minute I met him. He will do anything to save his family and friends, _anything_. As Athena would say, _the most dangerous flaws are those which are good in moderation_."

The goddess of the hunt stayed silent.

"Every god and goddess knows that Percy is a very, very dangerous asset, even more than all the demigods at Camp Half-Blood put together," he continued. "Percy is not just that. He is smart, something he gets from his mother. I guarantee that Athena recognizes this. He would sacrifice anything, but he knows what is right and what is wrong. He recognizes all the little details about the gods, how they act, behave and treat others. He knows that the Olympians aren't good. He respects you guys, but you treat him and his friends and mortal family like garbage, as if you care about them as much as Hades cares about you. Kronos knows this, no matter what Percy doesn't know. He's figured it out, and you little Olympians haven't even tried to talk to Percy about it. Someone who has his wits and strength put together is very dangerous indeed."

Artemis glared at the son of Nemesis. "Watch your words, _boy_. Be thankful that we care little for you, otherwise Zeus would have already turned you to ashes."

"Remember that, Lady Artemis," he said. "Remember that Percy is a rebel. Don't think that he will flock to your side just because of his father. What they say about Percy never thinking about joining the Titans, those are lies. If given the right reasons, he will."

I gave Ethan my most murderous glare to date. I wanted to call out that he was telling lies, that I would never join the Titans. But I knew he was partially speaking the truth. The gods aren't necessarily good.

Then the vision vanished and I was inside a room, a prison room.

Luke was hunched over a bed, tending to a slender figure lying on a mattress. Her blonde hair was tucked evenly behind her head and glowed in the dim light of the torch in the middle of the room.

Luke's sandy-blonde hair almost looked grey in the light. His back was turned to me, so I couldn't see his face, but he looked tired, his movements sluggish as he wiped a damp towel over Annabeth's forehead.

The room was dirty, blood stains and creepy-looking carvings on the walls. I figured that they were imprisoned somewhere near Mount Othrys so that when Thalia would arrive, Ethan would spring his plan into action.

When he said blackmail, I figured that they would threaten to kill Annabeth if Luke did not comply.

My blood boiled in my veins, even though I was just dreaming.

"Annabeth, please wake up," Luke whispered shakily. "Please wake up."

Then I saw Annabeth's eyelids flicker. Slowly, her eyes opened and she stared up at Luke. "Luke," she whispered. "Are...are you really here? I thought you were gone?"

I couldn't tell Luke's facial expression, but by his tone of voice I assumed he was happy. "It's all fine, Annabeth. You're almost healed from holding up the sky. You'll feel weak for a little while, but you'll be fine."

"Holding up the sky," Annabeth said robotically. Then her eyes widened. "What happened to Artemis? I—I saw her before I fell unconscious. Is she all right?"

Luke shook his head. "I don't know. I think she is still holding up the sky. I just hope Thalia and Percy can reach here in time to save us. I'm not sure what Ethan is planning, but I overheard the guards talking about 'bait' and 'blackmail.' I'm not so reassured as to what is happening."

Annabeth closed her eyes and took a shaky breath. "Are we okay, Luke?"

"Yes, Anna. We're fine."

"Then what about the scar on your face?" she asked, worry lacing her voice.

"It's—It's nothing," he said, stumbling on his words.

_Scar?_ If Luke had gotten a scar, I wondered if Ethan had monsters torture him. That was probably the only way he could have gotten a scar.

"It's good to see you awake, Annabeth," Luke said. "I have a feeling we'll be out of here soon."

"I hope so, too," she said before she slowly tumbled into slumber.

Luke sighed with relief and turned around. That was when I saw the scar on his face. It ran down the right side of his face, a long scar that came down from his forehead to the bottom of his cheek. It was red, a scar that looked new.

Why would they do that to Luke? What had he done to them? They were the ones that put Annabeth under the sky. They were the ones that caused Annabeth to be in the state she was in, and Luke got the scar?

"You know, Annabeth," Luke said facing the bars that locked them in. "That grey streak in your hair, it kind of matches your eyes. It makes you more pretty than you are already. Admittedly, I only liked you at first because Thalia forced me to. I had always thought of you as my sister. The more I think about it, the more I become certain that being my sister was something you weren't supposed to be."

He sighed. "Aphrodite must really hate us, Anna. I do like you now, Anna. The more time that passes, the more convinced I become my feelings for you are justifying. I really don't want to lose you, Annabeth. I know that maybe our feelings were started for the wrong reasons, but I may be falling in love. We need to stick together, Annabeth. I—I can't stand to lose you."

He turned and began playing with her curls. "I promise to you that I will stay by your side through anything."

I smiled sadly at the couple, feeling happy for them. They kind of acted like how I thought about Thalia. From that, I knew that Luke loved Annabeth. His feelings for her had developed quickly. Just six months ago, he was head over heels for Thalia Grace. Now he was head over heels for Annabeth Chase.

Aphrodite sure loved playing games with us, didn't she.

But that happy dream didn't last. The third and final dream was the one that made my mind blow up to the extent of the Tsar Bomba, the largest mortal bomb ever to be tested.

I was racing along the coast, Thalia, Zoe, Bianca and Grover at my side.

"Percy!" Grover shouted. "You're alive!"

Stunned by the sudden change of events, I stopped in my tracks.

"This is an illusion," Thalia said, her eyes sad. "He's dead. You saw what happened in Arizona. I wish he was alive too, Grover. But that can't be him."

"He's not dead!" Bianca said, seemingly insisting. "I—I don't know _how_ I know, but I know it. He's not dead. Maybe it's his ghost trying to speak to us from wherever he is."

A voice chuckled in my head._ A gift from me to you_, he said.

"Guys!" I said happily. "You made it to San Francisco!"

Zoe stared at my "ghost" with wide eyes. "Percy, are you there?"

"Yes!" I shouted. "What are you doing?!"

"We're heading to Mount Tam, Percy!" shouted Grover. "But we found the beast we're looking for. It is here, the Ophiotaurus." He pointed at the water.

I looked down and nearly jumped out of my pants. In the water was a happy mooing creature that I'd saved in Long Island Sound: the cow-serpent.

"Bessie?" I said.

"_MOOOOO!_" the creature moaned.

Grover frowned. "What do you mean he's not really here?"

"_MOOOO!_" Bessie said.

Then Grover turned to me with wary eyes. "Illusion? You mean...Percy's dead?"

"_Mooooo!_" Bessie lowed sorrowfully.

"He's not dead!" Bianca insisted. "I told you, I have a feeling!"

Zoe turned to Bianca with an exasperated look. "Why does thee keep insisting that? How would thee know? Thou don't have _feelings_ toward Percy, does thee?"

"No! It's just...urgh!" Bianca stomped in frustration.

"We have to get to Mount Tam soon," Thalia warned. "Sunset is approaching. How are we supposed to get this creature away from here?"

I stood there in thought. Then an idea hit me. "Bianca, do you still have the lion's fur?"

She stared at me sadly. "Yes."

"Sacrifice it. Send Grover to Long Island with Bessie. Poseidon will grant you safe passage, Grover. I'll make sure of it."

"But you're—"

"Forget if I'm dead or alive! If I am dead, I'm still helping you, am I not?"

Grover hesitated. Then he nodded at me. "Let's do it."

Grover hopped onto the Ophiotaurus, and Bianca threw the lion's fur into the ocean. It glowed a golden color before disappearing. Bessie mooed contently and dove into the ocean, a worried satyr riding on his back.

Bianca turned to Thalia and Zoe. "It worked!"

She turned towards me, but before she could say anything, wind rippled by, blowing at my hair gently. It felt like a different wind, like...the Mist!

"Good plan, Zoe!" Bianca complimented.

Zoe just nodded grimly. None of them seemed to noticed I was here anymore. She looked towards a mountain in the distance, a storm seemingly swirling above the mountain. "I did what I had to do."

Thalia's mood had completely changed. Her eyes were red and she was holding her spear so tightly that her knuckles were white. "I know how we can get there quickly. Percy gave this to me."

Her voice cracked when she said my name, but she took a slip of paper out of her pocket, the very piece of paper that had been mailed to me by Dr. Chase saying that he was moving to San Francisco.

"Dr. Chase," Zoe read. "Annabeth's father?"

"Yes," Thalia said affirmatively. "Let's go. For Percy."

Bianca and Zoe both nodded sadly. "Let's go."

Then my dream dissolved and I awoke in a prison cell, similar to that of Luke and Annabeth.

"Hey!" a hissing voice said. "The sssson of Posssseidon is awake."

"Then get him," a familiar voice said. "Send him up to Ethan."

"Yessss, _demigod_," the dracaena agreed. I saw as the creature slithered to my cell and unlocked it. When I stepped outside, I was in an empty hallway, empty prison cells lining on one side of the hallway.

There were tons of guards, though. Dracaena and hellhounds all hissed and growled at me. There was one lone mortal guard, someone who looked very familiar. My eyes widened. "You? What are you doing Sherman?"

The son of Ares grinned at me. "Didn't expect to see me here, did you? That's right. I joined Kronos."

I stared icily at him, making his grin falter. "Clarisse will kill you if she ever finds out."

"Which is why she'll never find out," he said. "Mark thinks I'm dead, so he'll tell her that. Easy as pie and then I'll never have to worry about it ever again. By the time Clarisse finds out, she'll probably be chased by hundreds of monsters when Kronos destroys Olympus."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why join Kronos?"

He scowled at me. "I'm made fun of by everybody, even when you weren't here. Most kids side with the Athena kids and call us children of Ares numbskulls. We're _not_ numbskulls. They're just jealous they can't fight as well as we can."

"Like always," I muttered angrily.

"Now, you'll follow me like a good prisoner so that Atlas won't have to kill you," he said. "You're just lucky Kronos wants you alive."

"You want to take me?" I asked. I narrowed my eyes and pulled out Riptide and Triametalla. "Then you'll have to _take_ me."

Sherman's eyes widened. I'd beaten him so many times during sword fighting that he knew I was a powerful demigod. Apparently, he _was_ a coward like his father. "Restrain him!" he ordered the monsters. "Scar him if you must, but don't kill him!"

Then the monsters charged.

I knew the benefits of being me and being the monsters at that very moment. The benefit for the monsters was that there were at least fifty of them, outnumbering me by a huge margin. The benefit for _me_, however, was the fact that I could kill, and they couldn't.

I tensed my legs before extending me sword out and spinning three hundred-sixty degrees. I stomped down on the floor making the hallway shake a little bit. It was enough to knock the monsters off balance.

I yelled a battle cry and charged through a line of dracaenae, turning that group of monsters into dust.

I swung my sword wildly and killed a couple more monsters. Then I somersaulted over the front line back into the center. I landed swiftly and held a defensive posture. I waited for a monster to attack. It was a good five seconds before two hellhounds jumped at me.

There is a large difference between skill and luck. I get rotten luck _all_ the time. That's the only reason I can defeat these monsters without getting brutally mauled.

That moment was when my luck...well, lucked out.

I managed to kill one of the hellhounds; however, while I was busy killing one, the other swiped at my left hand and knocked Triametalla out of it.

As a unit, dracaenae attacked my unguarded left side using their spears. Only having my sword left, Triametalla having disappeared in the sea of monsters (Not the place, obviously.), I panicked a little.

I turned to fight the unit of dracaenae, but another hellhound attacked, tearing the sleeve of both my shirt and jacket. My right arm was bare and my scar became palpable. It was a scar that ran down the length of my forearm, elbow to wrist, and was on the underside, basically the side that would face forward if I held my hands in surrender.

It looked gruesome, my tanned skin not covering that area. It was as though someone had cut off my skin there and permanently kept it open. The weird thing was that it didn't hurt. It was red, but felt normal. Even I was afraid of the wound, not to mention the people that would be around me. The electrical fire that burned me must have gotten me badly.

Then my luck returned. The monsters cringed at the sight of the wound, as if my wound was like Medusa's face. I took that advantage to quickly take out all of the monsters. I swiped, slashed and hacked at the hellhounds and dracaenae until they were all dead, leaving Sherman, the son of Ares, standing alone in the hallway.

He backed up slowly, staring at me in fear.

I looked down at my scar before regarding the son of Ares coldly. I walked up to him and grabbed the scruff of his neck.

"Be thankful that I am merciful," I growled. "Be it someone else, you would be dead by now. _But_, if I see you again _not_ at Camp Half-Blood, or if I see you again at Camp Half-Blood acting as a spy, you _will_ be dead."

I threw him to the ground and kicked his temple. He dropped unconscious.

Breathing heavily, I stalked over to pick up Triametalla, which was sitting harmlessly on the ground. To believe that this weapon is extremely effective when I fight can be hard to believe, but it works. I'm too lazy to figure out _how _it works.

On my way out, I looked back at the slumped over figure of Sherman and remembered someone tell me about Clarisse being missing in action.

I frowned and remembered about why Ethan would want to give the Golden Fleece back to us once he was finished.

_It would be a distraction to make us think we're safe, and then they'll strike at the heart of camp, whatever that may be_.

Suspicions began entering my brain like crazy until I realized I had another problem at hand at the moment. I pursed my lips and ran down the hallway until I reached the end, a doorway that blocked me from exiting the prison block.

I tried opening it, but it was locked.

I fumbled with it some more until I got frustrated and then tried smashing the door down. After a good five times, I realized that the door was metal and would be much harder for me to smash open.

"Stupid me, of course it's metal," I muttered. "How the Hades am I supposed to get out of here?"

I retraced my steps back to Sherman and searched his pockets for keys. Turns out there were keys in his left pant pocket.

I went up to the door and unlocked it. Quietly, I pushed the door open and peeked out. There were no monsters or guards around. Deciding that it was safe, I stepped out and shut the door.

I wasn't sure where I was so it was kind of expected when I made four circles in what felt like an hour. I knew it was much less time than that because then I would have missed the battle on Mount Othrys.

The place I was in was some sort of dungeon, rooms of prison cells everywhere.

After a couple more minutes, I found an emergency exit. I took the stairs up to the highest floor possible (via stairs, at least) and peeked out.

I saw dracaenae lined up behind two VIPs (Very Important Prisoners): Annabeth and Luke. I considered waiting for the dracaenae to lead them outside so that I knew where I was going, but shrugged to myself. Freeing Annabeth and Luke now would be better.

I burst out the door and ambushed the dracaenae from behind. Screaming hisses echoed throughout the prison block and surprised monsters turned around only to be met with my blade to their face.

I didn't make the smartest choice because there were tons of other guards who I couldn't see from peeking out of the emergency exit door. Before Annabeth or Luke could exclaim their surprise in seeing me here, a dracaena hissed, "Intruder!" before sounding the alarm.

A loud, wailing alarm suddenly shouted out.

"Percy! What the Hades are you doing here?" yelled Luke.

"It doesn't matter, Luke," Annabeth said. "He's here to save us. That's all that matters. Let's go!"

She took off in a random direction.

"You trust her?" I asked.

Luke nodded. "With my life."

"After you." I held up a _after-you_ gesture.

He gave me a terse smile and sprinted after his girlfriend. I followed him, making sure to stay behind so that I could protect his flank.

"You have your necklace?" I shouted as we turned a corner.

"Idiots forgot to remove it," he called over his shoulder.

"Annabeth!" I yelled. "Slow down! Your boyfriend is a little slow!"

Then I turned to Luke. "I thought she was still recovering. How the Hades can she run at almost full speed."

"Honestly, I don't know!"

We turned another corner and found Annabeth in a fight, watching as she kicked the dracaena at the wall and stabbed it from behind.

She turned to us. "I'm getting tired. Where are we supposed to go?"

"I thought you were leading us."

"Not really."

I rolled my eyes. "Let's go this way. Thalia and Zoe are on their way to Mount Tam. The dracaenae were going to bring you there as well."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Luke made a _time-out_ gesture. "Can we backtrack here? Start from the beginning, Percy. How did you come here, what is happening, and _then_ where are we going?"

So I told them. I told them about the capture of Artemis and the quest. I told them about the journey from Camp Half-Blood to Arizona, including the details about my "death." It was the second time in a year that I'd almost died. The last time that happened was around the Summer Solstice. This time it was around the _Winter_ Solstice.

I told them about how there was the Ophiotaurus and about how it was meant to be sacrificed so that whoever did it would get the power to destroy the gods once and for all. I told them about how Zoe, Thalia and Bianca were on their way to save Artemis. Then I told them that we needed to get to Mount Tam, where Mount Othrys was rebuilding itself.

They paled further the more I spoke. They went from tanned skin to fair skin to pale skin to ghostly pale skin.

"That sounds dangerous," said Luke. "Is Artemis okay? She has to have held the sky for at least two or three days by now."

"Two and a half," I said. "I had a dream about a conversation she had with Ethan. She's struggling, even for a goddess of her strength."

Annabeth touched her hair subconsciously. A question formed in my head.

"Annabeth, how did you get that grey streak?"

"From holding the sky," Luke said. "The weight should've killed her, but luckily it didn't."

I gave an impressed look at the daughter of Athena. "That's really, really impressive, Annabeth. How did you manage to hold up the sky?"

I watched as her face slowly turned red. "Just...thoughts."

I grinned. "Yeah. _Thoughts_."

"Let's just get out of here!" she snapped, though it didn't have the intended effect because of her red face.

"Yeah, sure." I looked at the door I'd said we should go through. I took a deep breath and unlocked the door.

I swung it open and rushed inside. Immediately, I ran into something large, like a tree of some sort. Either way, I was knocked to the ground because of the impact. I heard two yelps from behind me and a strong hand pick me up from the ground.

When I opened my eyes, I was met with dark obsidian eyes. They peered at me with curiosity and eagerness.

"Well," the voice boomed. "I guess we have a special guest. I won't even bother to ask where you came from, Percy Jackson, because soon you will witness the great sacrifice Thalia Grace will make."

That's when "sacrifice" registered in my mind.

"You planned that!" I accused. "You wanted to isolate Thalia so she could sacrifice the Ophiotaurus and destroy the gods."

"Yes, but it's too late to stop it, Percy," Atlas said with dry humor. "It is unfortunate you were not capable of figuring this out quicker."

My vision turned red. I opened my mouth to protest, but a firm squeeze kept me from shouting at the Titan's face. "I would advise that you keep your mouth shut. You may be the most powerful demigod alive, but I can still crush you like a bug."

He held me out in front of him. I looked down from my view and saw Luke and Annabeth being handcuffed by traitor demigods. There were at least a dozen of them. Atlas smiled cruelly at them and waved them off.

"Leave, demigods," he ordered. "The dracaenae will take the prisoners. Meanwhile, I'll take this one."

The General turned me around. He had a sinister look in his eyes, one that looked so evil that it sent shivers up my spine and I was legitimately freaked out to the point where I felt like cowering. Atlas just radiated that kind of aura.

"We're going to have some fun, Percy Jackson," the Titan announced. "And it begins with the sacrifice that Thalia, the daughter of Zeus, will make."

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

**I also apologize for any grammatical errors in the chapter above.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	16. A Family Reunion

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

**I'm sorry to bother you about the poll, but I realized that people weren't realizing they could vote for two so I set up a survey for you to fill out. Go to my profile page to find it (Survey Monkey).**

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**Unlike other authors, I will continue to post even if my review count does not rise. I'm just that nice.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Περσεύς 15**

**A Family Reunion**

"You'll never get away with the sacrifice," I said, glaring at the General with as much hatred I could muster up.

"Or can we?" he grinned.

The mystery that he laced in his voice was too much for me to take. I wriggled my hand into my left pocket, activated Triametalla, and stabbed Atlas' hand. He roared in pain but just tightened his grip around me.

"I don't see why Kronos wants you alive," Atlas growled. "If it were up to me, I would have killed you long ago, Perseus Jackson."

"Why _don't_ you kill me?" I goaded. "Kill me and you get rid of a huge problem. Right? You won't have to deal with one of the most influential demigods to live in history. Then you can isolate Thalia to herself and convince her to join your cause, right?"

"Percy! What are you doing?" Luke yelled.

"Shut up!" a dracaena said and whacked Luke's head with the flat of her sword.

"Maybe I should," mused the Titan.

I gulped, not really meaning what I said. Sure I'd sacrifice myself for the greater good...but sacrificing myself right now would be utterly pointless. Even killing myself while fighting inside of Talos gave my friends a chance at escaping.

"And maybe I can tell Luke about how you're going to blackmail him," was the next thing I said. Then I really felt like I should have worn a filter around my mouth. "You know, about threatening to kill Annabeth."

I was lucky Atlas was only fifteen feet tall. In anger, he threw me forcefully to the ground. I landed painfully and stayed on the ground, as still as plywood. My chest felt like exploding and my right arm felt dislocated.

"Heal up the boy and bound him in celestial bronze cuffs," Atlas ordered. "Make sure he stays alive. Kronos will be greatly upset if you fail."

I couldn't tell anyone's reactions to it, but I felt rough, scaly hands pick me up. I was carried over to an infirmary and immediately thrown into a bathtub. They turned the water on and filled up the tub. Turns out some monsters actually have brains.

I felt strength return to my body. Slowly, my bones stopped aching and I no longer felt like my ribs were going to poke through my heart. But before I could regain enough strength the dracaenae who'd taken me to the infirmary put celestial bronze cuffs on my hands. I immediately felt the power of the water drain from my body. It was still healing me, but I couldn't summon the water to my will anymore. It was as if the cuffs sucked my demigod abilities away from me. The feeling was a weird sensation, as if trying to move my arm but unable to.

"Should we bring him back to the massssster?" asked one dracaena to another.

"He'sssss not fully healed," said one. "He will be ssssoon. Then we will force him to watch the daughter of Zeussss dessstroy her father'sss home. It will be wonderful, even better than watching demigodsss die!"

Once they determined me healthy enough to get out, the dracaenae took my out of the prison area. My eyes widened when I realized that I was in a section of Alcatraz, a prison based on an island just offshore of San Francisco.

The sun was beginning to set now, but I was quickly ushered onto a water taxi that led to the _Princess Andromeda_, a giant cruise ship that was anchored offshore of Mount Tam.

I was led ashore by the dracaenae and shoved roughly off the boat. I was met by Ethan Nakamura, of all people.

"Percy Jackson," he greeted. "It is..._nice_ to see you again."

"Traitor," I spat. "Why would you do that to Annabeth? You're a cruel, heartless person."

He winced, as if my comment hurt him. "Come, Percy. You will want to see Thalia again, won't you? I promise that you will get to see her again. I make no guarantees that this will _not_ be the last time."

I softened at the mention of Thalia but I still kept a stiff face on. "Either way, Ethan, you're a lying, deceitful, treacherous being. Why would you tell lies to a goddesses face? Why would you trick a young girl, someone who used to look up to you as her role model's best friend? Why would you think that you know someone because they talked openly to you? Why did you betray us, Ethan? You _know_ that you were trusted by everyone, including Chiron. Why? Just tell me why."

His eyes hardened. "My mother—"

"Don't even start on that bullshit," I interrupted. "You know what you're doing is not right, yet you still do it. Why?"

His face contorted with anger. "_Why? WHY?_ You know what, Percy? I've told you this _too many gods damned times_! The Olympians have disgraced this world. What have they given us? Tell me, do you think the Olympians, aside from your father and Hestia, think of you more than a tool, an item that will cause the fall or preservation of Olympus? You yourself may not join the Titans, but I know you just enough to know that you have a distaste for some gods and goddesses. You think lowly of them, like Artemis, the one you're supposedly saving."

"What makes you think I think lowly of her?"

"You hate that the Hunters are sexist," he justified. "You hate that Artemis treats men with low respect. You grew up thinking selfishly, that _you_ are the center of the world. You may not think that way outwardly, but inside, you thought of none beside yourself. What happened when Viola died? You told me she couldn't catch up to you in the blizzard. Maybe if you hadn't run away so quickly she'd still be with you. What happened when your mother died? You told me Zeus had killed her, but did he really? You told me that Poseidon had a choice of who to save, but did he really choose before your mother fell off the railing? Maybe if you hadn't sat there like the coward you are, she would be alive and healthy now! You could have pulled her up."

Tears threatened to spill out of my eyes. What he said was true. What if I had kept Viola with me instead of running away? What if I'd tried pulling my mother up?

Anger boiled in my veins. "Ethan, you are the son of Nemesis, the goddess of revenge and balance. What balance are you bringing to the world by helping Kronos?"

"Always with blaming the leader," he growled. "Look at demigods and gods alike. Where is the balance there? Do unclaimed kids feel balanced with claimed kids?"

"You know Kronos, Ethan," I pleaded. "You know that he only destroys. He doesn't build. What happened during the so called 'Golden Age' when the Titans ruled? Nothing. The term _Golden Age_ was a misnomer for what happened. You say you know me. But you forget that I know you as well. You don't want—"

Ethan punched me. "Shut up, Percy! Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!"

He picked me up and grabbed me by the front of my neck. His good eye bored into me, into my soul, as if he were a son of Thanatos. "You will go up there and watch your girlfriend become the only person who will be able to take down the gods by herself. Then I will see that you are executed slowly and painfully."

He grabbed me in a choke hold. "After this, Kronos will have no more use for you. You should be glad that my lord is merciful. Otherwise you would be dead by now."

Ethan squeezed my neck hard before throwing me to the ground. Coughing, I tried to recover and catch my breath again. Then I looked up at the figure of the son of Nemesis.

I noticed something I hadn't noticed before. There was this wild look in his eyes, as if Kronos were driving him crazy. His face was pale and weary, but from his grip, he wasn't as weak as he looked.

"Come on, Percy," he sighed after he noticed me staring at him from the ground. "Let's go. I really don't want to drag you up the mountain."

Ethan helped me up, which seemed bipolar of him. Then he stood next to me, and we walked, as if we were still back at Camp Half-Blood when I was twelve.

"You'd really kill me?" I asked when had taken no more than five steps up the side of the mountain. "If Kronos didn't want me on his leash, you'd really kill me."

Though he kept walking, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he turned to me, a masked emotion glimmering in his eyes. "After this, if Atlas fails, Kronos will deem you killable."

"First of all, why? Second of all, why are you telling me this when you _should_ be keeping it a secret?"

"The sacrifice," Ethan said bluntly. "If Thalia won't do it, Atlas planned to have you do it. When I told him he was foolish, he beat me up. Now I have this scar." He pointed to the scar that ran through his eye patch. "And about keeping that a secret...well, why should I? You already know you will be on the Wanted List for all creatures, whether they're monsters, gods, Titans or demigods, who have allied themselves with Kronos."

"True enough," I agreed. "Though...about calling Atlas foolish. Why was he foolish? This plan could work."

Ethan smirked. "Oh, naive little Percy. Atlas' plan contradicts much with Kronos' plans. Don't you realize that? If we needed Thalia on her own, we needed to get rid of the Hunters. It was your fault that the skeletons went after _you_. If Atlas wanted to kill Zoe, he needed the skeletons to go after her. You also ruined that."

He sighed tiredly. "_Five shall go west to the goddess in chains. One shall be lost in the land without rain. __The bane of Olympus shows the trail.__ Campers and Hunters combined prevail. The Titan's curse one must withstand. And one shall perish by a parent's hand._"

Just then, lightning struck down from the sky, slamming down at the other side of Mount Tamalpais.

"Spy," I guessed.

"Of course," he said. "Despite all of this, you still must realize you are quite dense at times. Had you really paid attention to your surroundings, you would have found the spy by now. Friends never last. That's the unbalance I've experienced my entire life."

I glared at him. "Don't even start at the dense part."

"There _is_ a different between _dense_ and _stupid_."

"Not much."

"You, Grover, Thalia, Zoe and Bianca go west to Artemis, who is in chains," Ethan started, ignoring my answer. You were lost to the other four in the land without rain. The Ophiotaurus showed the trail, did it not? It must be tied to Thalia, if you had disappeared in Arizona. Well, it seems as though Atlas will fail as campers and Hunters _combined_ prevail, meaning if you combine, you'll win. The Titan's curse one must withstand. Ooh! Backburner! Who's going to do that? And one shall perish by a parent's hand, you know, like Zeus smiting his own daughter."

"He wouldn't."

Ethan shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe he would. The god is very paranoid. He'd do the stupidest things to try and stop something from happening."

"You wouldn't care if Thalia's dead now?" I asked. "If she's dead, the sacrifice won't work. You know that I won't do it, no matter what."

He nodded. "Unfortunate, but I'd like to see Kronos punish Atlas for his horrible plan." Ethan's face darkened. "Revenge has its quirks."

We stayed silent, marching up the hill to reach the top of Mount Tam, where Mount Othrys was rising again.

Once we reached the three-quarters-point, I turned to Ethan. "You said a long time ago that you gave a lot to Camp Half-Blood, but never received anything in return. You said that it was an imbalance between give and take. You said no one paid attention to you on Olympus when you visited. What does Kronos give you now? Don't you feel like you're getting _too_ much attention now? Atlas said that you had a special role in all of this. You paled. What's happening, Ethan?"

He stiffened up next to me and took a shaky breath in. "I get the respect I wanted. I get enough attention. My special role is nothing important to you. It only affects me because I'm the son of a minor god. What's happening is the beginning of the downfall of Olympus."

But I could tell something was wrong with him. He wasn't telling the entire truth.

"Ethan," I said. "Come back. Your friends want you back. They want the boy who gave them lots, not because they wanted things, but because they had forged strong relationships with that boy. You know, Thalia said that Luke trusted you. Then you backstabbed us. Thalia said that he is less extroverted now, that he is different."

"What about you?" asked the twitching son of Nemesis. "What happened to _you_? You hated the Hunters when you first met them. I learned that well from Dr. Thorn, that stupid manticore. Why come to save Artemis as well? I can tell you want to save that goddess."

I looked up at the sky. "I've learned things."

"Like what?"

"Things about male heroes. Things you wouldn't understand."

"Then that's my answer."

"Answer to what?"

"To your '_plead'_ for me to betray Kronos," he said, his confidence beginning to grow back. "I've learned things about the gods, things you wouldn't understand."

"You can't just steal my line—"

"Percy." Ethan Nakamura stared at me. "I just have one piece of advice for you. Not only should you avoid getting stuck between a rock and a hard place, never get stuck in the Devil's Triangle."

I frowned. "Hestia told that to me once. What does that mean?"

"The Devil's Triangle is a triangle of attributes that acts like the Bermuda Triangle, sucking people in and never letting them out until they pay the price of death. Greed, power, ambition."

I knit my eyebrows. "What does that—"

"Shut up," he said. "We're here."

As soon as he said that, we broke to the top of the mountain.

We had reached the summit. A few yards ahead of us, gray clouds swirled in a heavy vortex, making a funnel cloud that almost touched the mountaintop, but instead rested on the shoulders of a twelve-year-old girl with auburn hair and a tattered silvery dress: Artemis, her legs bound to the rock with celestial bronze chains.

Luke was standing up ahead, looking forward as Ethan walked up to stand next to him. Towering over them was Atlas.

I was shoved next to Annabeth, who had a knife point at her neck.

Then Zoe, Bianca and Thalia burst to the top, oblivious to the scene in front of them.

"My lady!" Zoe rushed forward, but Artemis said, "Stop! It is a trap. You must leave now."

Her voice was strained. She was drenched in sweat. I had never seen a goddess in pain before aside from my dream, but the weight of the sky was clearly too much for Artemis.

Zoe was crying. She ran forward despite Artemis's protests, and tugged at the chains.

"Ah, how touching." Atlas' voice boomed like an amplifier.

Bianca, Thalia and Zoe whirled around to find us standing, guarded by two dozen dracaenae. Thalia's eyes widened when she saw me, her eyes disbelieving.

Ethan spoke up. "Thalia. How do you like Luke now?"

The daughter of Zeus whirled to him. "What?"

"He's on our side now."

"No," she growled. She turned to Luke. "You aren't are you?"

The son of Hermes seemed to gulp. "I am...Thalia. I...I am."

Betrayal shone in her eyes like fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Meanwhile, Zoe had a stare-down with Atlas. "Hello again, my little traitor."

"You are no father of mine," she spat venomously.

Ethan laughed. "Isn't this wonderful? A family reunion!"

"Yeah," I said bleakly. "Wonderful."

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

**I also apologize for any grammatical errors in the chapter above.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	17. Bianca Makes Another Choice

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

**Hey guys. You all voted for the poll that I put up either on FanFiction or SurveyMonkey. And the winner...LUKE DOES NOT BETRAY THE GODS, THALIA IS NOT KILLED, AND THEY BECOME THE BEST FIGHTING SQUAD THROUGHOUT THE FIRST TITAN WAR. You all also voted for whether I should continue to the Heroes of Olympus series. The winner...THE HEROES OF OLYMPUS SERIES WILL CONTINUE.**

**I'm sorry for those who chose differently, but you are in for a surprise in the next story. For now, however, we must continue this story until the end. Only a few more chapters left.**

**Unlike other authors, I will continue to post even if my review count does not rise. I'm just that nice.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Περσεύς 16**

**Bianca Makes Another Choice**

Now that I saw Atlas and Zoe do a stare-down, I realized that Zoe really resembled Atlas. Atlas had the same regal expression as Zoe, the same cold proud look in his eyes that Zoe sometimes got when she was mad, though on him it looked a thousand times more evil. He was all the things I'd originally disliked about Zoe, with none of the good I'd come to appreciate.

"Let Artemis go!" demanded Zoe.

Atlas walked closer to the chained goddess. "Perhaps you'd like to take the sky for her, then? Be my guest."

Zoe opened her mouth to speak, but Artemis said, "No! Do not offer, Zoe! I forbid you."

Atlas smirked. He knelt next to Artemis and tried to touch her face, but the goddess bit at him, almost taking off his fingers.

"Hoo-hoo," Atlas chuckled. "You see, daughter? Lady Artemis likes her new job. I think I will have all the Olympians take turns carrying my burden, once Lord Kronos rules again, and this is the center of our palace. It will teach those weaklings some humility."

Suddenly, my pocket felt really heavy. Frowning, I looked down and crept my hands towards my pocket to see what had happened.

"But you need the Olympians _willing_ to take it from themselves," Bianca noticed. "What if the Olympians don't agree to hold up the sky?"

Atlas just smiled, a cruel look emerging on his face. "That would just make it all the better, little Hunter. One god or goddess holding up the sky, and no one can do anything about it. I'm sure the Olympians would love to see one of their own under the sky for eternity."

"Then put Dionysus under it," Thalia said. "They would _actually_ love that."

The Titan shook his head. "You expect me to believe that _weakling _of a god could hold up my burden? You amuse me daughter of Zeus. He would be instantly crushed once taking on the burden of the sky. It would crush down upon this place, instantly flattening the mountain and everything within a hundred leagues."

_That_ was one thing I could agree with.

Then Atlas studied Thalia, as if she were some sort of blueprints. Then he turned to me and smiled. "So these are the best heroes of the age, eh? Not much of a challenge."

"Fight us," I said. "And let's see."

"Have the gods taught you nothing? An immortal does not fight a mere mortal directly. It is beneath our dignity. I will have Luke crush you instead."

"So you're another coward," I said.

Atlas's eyes glowed with hatred. With difficulty, he turned his attention to Thalia.

"As for you, daughter of Zeus, it seems Luke was wrong about you."

I saw Ethan nudge Luke's back.

"I wasn't wrong," Luke managed to say, his words shaky. "Thalia, you still can join us. Call the Ophiotaurus. It will come to you. Look!"

Ethan waved his hand, and next to us a pool of water appeared: a pond ringed in black marble, big enough for the Ophiotaurus. I could imagine Bessie in that pool. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I was sure I could hear Bessie mooing.

_Don't think about him_! Suddenly Grover's voice was inside my mind—the empathy link. I could feel his emotions. He was on the verge of panic. _I'm losing Bessie. Block the thoughts_!

I tried to make my mind go blank. I tried to think about basketball players, skateboards, the different kinds of candy in my mom's shop. Anything but Bessie. And then my hands felt what was heavy in my pocket.

The key!

Stupidly on Atlas' part, there were no dracaenae behind me so they couldn't see what I was doing. Plus, the ones next to me were disregarding me, so it was pretty easy to sneak the key up to the handcuffs.

As I slowly tried fitting the door key into the handcuff lock, the others continued their conversation.

"Thalia, call the Ophiotaurus," Luke persisted. "And you will be more powerful than the gods."

"Luke…" Her voice was full of pain. "What happened to you?"

He glanced back at Annabeth, where a dracaena was pushing a blade to her neck. His face contorted with pain and he turned to Thalia with guilt. "It's not what you would think, Thalia. Just...just do this. For me, for Annabeth."

Thalia shook her head. "No. Free Annabeth and...Percy. Don't make me do this the hard way."

Luke closed his eyes and looked toward the ground. Ethan stared at the daughter of Zeus with a hard look. "Thalia. Join us, and you will be let free. Annabeth, Luke and you can live together, just like the way it was before Camp Half-Blood, before Grover found you. Didn't you like those times better?"

I finally got the key into the keyhole. Only the stupid Titans would design the key to be able to unlock the celestial bronze handcuffs. But something else hit me too, when I managed to get the key into the keyhole. Ethan's voice was actually strained, the son of Nemesis a good actor. I could tell that something bad was going to happen: paling when Atlas told him about his _special_ part, his reaction to my interrogation, and now his strained voice.

"Join us, and you will live the way you have always wanted to, Thalia," Ethan insisted. "It is the only way."

"Percy _will_ be allowed with us," Luke said, turning to me. He gave me a pointed look, and I got the message. "He knows the Olympians aren't good. He will change. As soon as he gets out of those handcuffs, when we unlock him, I promise that he will not attack us."

A quiet click and I felt power surge back into my body. I felt the waves of the ocean, which had suddenly gotten stronger against the rocky shore. The winds began to pick up, swirling around the mountain in a circular motion, like a hurricane. Then thunder rumbled in the sky.

"Do not, Thalia," Zoe warned. "We must fight them."

Ethan waved his hand again, and a fire appeared. A bronze brazier, just like the one at camp. A sacrificial flame.

In front of me, the golden sarcophagus began to glow. As it did, I saw images in the mist all around us: black marble walls rising, the ruins becoming whole, a terrible and beautiful palace rising around us, made of fear and shadow.

"We will rebuild this palace right here, Thalia," Ethan said in an almost urgent voice. "We have the power of the Titans behind us. We will grow, and once more, we will become stronger than all of Olympus. We are not weak, Thalia."

"No," Luke said, still staring at Annabeth and I. "_We_ are not."

"Watch." Ethan pointed down the side of the mountain. "Watch as our great army climbs this very mountain. We are strong. All you have to do is call the Ophiotaurus. You will gain all of the power needed to destroy the gods."

Marching up the side of the mountain, from the beach where the _Princess Andromeda_ was docked, was a great army. Dracaenae and Laestrygonians, monsters and half-bloods, hell hounds, harpies, and other things I couldn't even name. The whole ship must've been emptied, because there were hundreds, many more than I'd seen on board last summer. And they were marching toward us. In a few minutes, they would be here.

"Power," Thalia replied shakily. "Power." She looked at me and I tried to muster up all of my feelings, my emotions, through my eyes.

I quietly grabbed the handcuffs out from behind my back, and mouthed, _Turn to them_!

She obeyed.

I dropped the handcuffs and caught her attention. I raised up both of my free hands indistinctly. She got the message I was trying to send. Then I put my hands behind my back.

"Annabeth," I whispered.

Not only did she turn, but so did all of the dracaenae. I looked into her eyes and sent the message. She gave a discreet nod.

"What are you doing?" hissed a dracaena.

"Nothing in particular," I said. _Just ready to murder all of you monsters._

"Power," repeated Thalia. She looked at Luke, his face betraying all of the lies he'd just said. "What power is there to hold when my friends are not there with me? What power is there to hold when I destroy my family? What life will I have when all is gone? Tell me all that Kronos has done for you. Tell me all that Atlas has done for you. Tell me what the Titans have given you that the gods cannot."

Ethan looked a little speechless, and I immediately knew that he'd run out of good things to say about the Titans. There was no point in repeating things he'd already told us.

"Exactly." Thalia leveled her spear and pointed it at Ethan. Bianca and Zoe immediately had their bows out pointed at Ethan.

"A fight, eh?" Atlas smiled. "I shall enjoy seeing this."

"Actually," I spoke up. "You'll be having some fun, General Atlas. You'll be having _a lot_ of fun."

He narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about, demigod?"

I grinned and pulled Riptide and Triametalla out. "Next time, design a key that doesn't unlock doors _and_ handcuffs, idiot."

Atlas' face turned red. "You will pay, insufferable demigod."

I made eye contact with all of my friends: Annabeth, Luke, Thalia, Zoe and Bianca. Luke tapped his necklace and turned on Ethan. He growled, "Next time, don't threaten to kill Annabeth to make me lie."

Pale, Ethan yelled, "Kill the daughter of Athena!"

Quickly, I struck the dracaena that had Annabeth at knife point. I pulled out Annabeth's cap of invisibility and put it on her head. Her entire body disappeared, including the ropes that were tied securely around her wrists.

"Now!" Thalia yelled.

And together, they charged.

As I disintegrated the dracaena around me, the golden sarcophagus that held Kronos' essence fell to the ground near me. Looking around to see whether I should open it or not, I decided not to, in fear of what I would see inside.

Instead, I pushed the sarcophagus to the edge of the mountain and pushed it down. It tumbled forward and crashed down the hill, like a bowling ball ready to knock out monsters as if they were bowling pins.

I summoned a decently-sized waved and engulfed the lower part of his army. It sent them into a panic. I watched as the frontline soldiers scrambled out of the path of the sarcophagus, trying not to get crushed by the heavy, gold coffin-like thing. I watched as the monsters than hadn't been swept away in the massive flood of water ran further up inland, crashing into the marching soldiers in front of them.

Then I heard a cry of pain from behind me. I whirled around to see that Annabeth was clutching her face and that Luke was running to help her. He pulled her away from the main battle and whispered something to her before jumping back into action, fighting Ethan.

Ethan continued his combat with Thalia, the former having the slight advantage. Bianca and Zoe stayed a little further back, launching arrows that missed Ethan by millimeters.

In any case, the son of Nemesis was being challenged four on one.

That's when the large, hulking figure behind them registered in my brain. Atlas was watching with amusement, as if the fact that Ethan was pretty much going to lose was exciting. I gave the Titan a sour look and jogged around my friends. I tapped Zoe on the back and pointed to her father.

Zoe nodded and smiled. "Percy. I'm glad you didn't die. I would have been a shame. Now go!"

She pushed me forward before I could ponder on her words.

Atlas seemed to notice me facing him and he turned. As he recognized who I was, his face went red. "Percy Jackson," he said, trying to calm his voice. "You said I would have fun. Indeed, you are right. I am having lots of fun."

I regarded the Titan analytically. I may have fought a Titan before, but this time, I would be fighting the general of the Titan army. There is a big difference between Titan of Intelligence and Titan of Strength.

Then I made my move. I charged Atlas.

He laughed as I approached. A huge javelin appeared in his hands. His silk suit melted into full Greek battle armor. "Go on, then!"

"Percy!" Zoe said. "Beware!"

I knew what she was warning me about. Chiron had told me long ago: _Immortals are constrained by ancient rules. But a hero can go anywhere, challenge anyone, as long as he has the nerve_. Once I attacked, however, Atlas was free to attack back directly, with all his might.

I faked, pretending I would strike before I slid between his legs and jabbed at the Titan's exposed knees. But Atlas expertly swiveled around and blocked the strike.

"Bianca!" Luke yelled. "Help Zoe and Percy!"

Atlas growled and sent my flying with the shaft of his javelin. I flew through the air and slammed into a black wall. It wasn't Mist anymore. The palace was rising, brick by brick. It was becoming real.

"Just because you can challenge that petty war god, you think can you outmatch me!" Atlas screamed. "You truly are a fool, Perseus Jackson."

Dazed, I looked up. Bianca rolled to the side as the point of a javelin nearly impaled her through the chest. Then she stood up next to Zoe and let her arrows fly. They flew at Atlas like annoying pests, like bees or something. The Titan swatted them away easily, spinning his javelin like a lightsaber.

"Cowards!" he bellowed. "Stop hiding behind your bows. Fight me like the true warriors you are! Fight me, my daughter! Fight me, Bianca di Angelo!"

I got up and tried to recoup. I breathed in deeply and charged at Atlas once again. Now, Bianca and Zoe had split up, Zoe moving to the further side. Atlas seemed to want to save killing his own daughter for later.

He stepped forward, advancing on the Hunter while swatting arrows as they came to him.

I leaped in front of Bianca and held my sword threateningly. "You won't win, Atlas. Your plan has already failed."

"It does not matter!" he clamored. "As long as I am free from my burden, I will not have failed!"

Then, as quick as a viper, his slashed his javelin at Bianca and me. Before I could react, I was sent flying once again, like a rag doll. I slammed into the ground, my head spinning. I looked up and found I was at the feet of Artemis, still straining under the weight of the sky.

"Run, boy," she told me. "You must run!"

"My lady!" gasped Bianca, who was lying next to me.

"Run, Bianca!"

Atlas was taking his time to get to me. He seemed to ignore most of the arrows that Zoe was shooting at him, keeping his eyes on me. My sword was gone as well. It had probably skittered off the cliff behind us. It might reappear in my pocket—maybe in a few seconds—but it didn't matter. I'd be dead by then.

Annabeth was still on the ground, recovering from the wound on her face. It was cut, blood trickling down her face. Luke and Thalia were fighting mercilessly, though, attacking Ethan will all of the force that they could muster. The difference between Ethan and the other two is that he was quicker.

"Say goodbye, Percy Jackson," said Atlas. He brought his javelin back to impale me.

"No!" Zoe yelled, and a volley of silver arrows sprouted from the armpit chink in Atlas's armor.

"ARGH!" He bellowed and turned toward his daughter.

"No!" Bianca exclaimed. "I get it! _The Titan's curse on must withstand._ Give me the sky, my lady."

"What? You can't!" I cried. "It'll kill you!"

"The boy is right," Artemis said. Her forehead was beaded with metallic sweat, like quicksilver. "However, you are one of my Hunters. If you have a strong enough will..."

"Yes, my lady," Bianca said. "Give it to me."

Bianca stepped next to Artemis and braced herself on one knee—holding up her hands—and touched the cold, heavy clouds.

"Wait!" I said. "Bianca, are you sure?"

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "Yes, Percy. I can do this."

Then Artemis slipped out from under the sky, and Bianca's face contorted into one of complete pain, as if she was on fire. She looked like she wanted to scream, but she couldn't. I gave her a worried look.

"Bianca," I said to the struggling Hunter. "Remember that I came back. Remember that I wasn't dead. Remember Nico, your little brother. You _will_ see him again. If you say you can hold it up, I believe you. You've got the spirit. Good luck."

Tentatively, I turned away from Bianca, knowing she wouldn't be able to formulate an audible answer. Then I watched the battle.

There was Atlas in full battle armor, thrusting with his javelin, laughing irrationally as he fought. And Artemis, a blur of silver. She had two deadly hunting knives, each as long as her arm, and she slashed wildly at the Titan, dodging and leaping with unbelievable grace. She seemed to change form as she finessed around. She was a tiger, a gazelle, a bear, a falcon...a whole bunch of wicked-looking animals. Zoe shot arrows at her father, aiming for the chinks in his armor. He roared in pain each time one found its mark, but they affected him like bee stings. He just got madder and kept fighting.

I looked over to Luke and Thalia, who had broken their ferocious formation. It seemed as though one of them had been knocked off balance, the other temporarily fighting one-on-one. I don't know how, but Ethan seemed to be getting better at sword fighting every year.

"Yield!" snarled Ethan. He kicked Aegis hard making Thalia's arm snap to the side.

She yelled in pain before Ethan stepped on her shield arm and ripped Aegis off. He threw it to the side like a frisbee and kicked her stomach as hard as he could.

Thalia stayed on the ground.

Then Ethan moved quickly on Luke. In a flurry of strikes, he pressed Luke back, so that Luke was a few feet from falling off the cliffside. My eyes widened and I took a step forward to help.

Out of nowhere, blood still trickling down her face, Annabeth exploded at Ethan, tackling him. The weird thing was that Ethan didn't go down as quickly as he should have, considering the force of the tackle. It was almost as if he was heavier, like he was made of stone.

Annabeth ripped Ethan's sword out of his hands and threw it off the cliff. "How could you do this?" she growled, pointing at her bleeding face. "You're nothing but a traitor, threatening to kill me to make Luke lie for you. Pathetic!"

She brought her knife up before Luke grabbed her arm. "Throw him off the cliff. That way he can think about what he did before he dies."

They grabbed Ethan by the scruff of his neck and held him tight. They positioned him at the edge of the cliff and Luke stood in front of him, Annabeth holding him by his arms.

"This may not be Sparta," Luke said, "but it sure damn is a cliff. You should have thought about the consequences of your actions before you did them."

Then Luke kicked him off the cliff. Luke staggered back a little, but Ethan fell. The only problem was that I didn't have any time to go watch the lying bastard die.

As Annabeth helped Thalia up and pulled her to the cliff's edge, peering over the side, Atlas, behind me, boasted, "You fight well for a girl. But you are no match for me."

He feinted with the tip of his javelin and Artemis dodged. I saw the trick coming. Atlas's javelin swept around and knocked Artemis's legs off the ground. She fell, and Atlas brought up his javelin tip for the kill.

"No!" Zoe screamed. She leaped between her father and Artemis and shot an arrow straight into the Titan's forehead, where it lodged like a unicorn's horn. Atlas bellowed in rage. He swept aside his daughter with the back of his hand, sending her flying into the black rocks.

"Zoe!" I screamed. Frantically, I switched my vision back and forth between the black rocks and Artemis.

I turned to look at Bianca, who was still struggling in pain. Her foot slipped a little, her body sinking toward the ground even further.

_A trick_, a feminine voice said in my head. _Help Zoe!_

I swiveled back to the still body of Artemis. I hoped the goddess was right.

I took off in the direction of the black rocks, just as a loud scream from way down below bellowed an order. I could see javelins appear out of the corner of my eye, Luke pulling the two girls away just in time.

I ran, leaping over a couple of rocks. It wasn't hard to find Zoe, but I could tell she was struggling to stay alive. The blow she took from Atlas was a hard one. I slid on the ground and knelt next to Zoe. Her breathing was ragged and her eyes were fluttering.

I grabbed her hand, which she held tightly. She grimaced.

"Zoe," I said breathlessly. "What—What happened?"

Her free hand clutched her abdomen, a part of her Hunter uniform that had been torn. I furrowed my eyebrows and gently pulled her hand away. I opened up the tear a little more and then paled. It was a horrible cut, poison evident on the wound. But that didn't make sense. How could Atlas poison Zoe?

Then a terrible thought slammed into me.

Below where Atlas held the sky, there was the Garden of the Hesperides. There were those golden apples that gave one immortality if they ate it. But there was one horrifying thing in their way: Ladon, a giant dragon...that is poisonous.

"Zoe, you didn't," I murmured. "Don't tell me that's..."

Another thought hit me. Even though Ladon poisoned her, causing a poisoned wound, it was her father, Atlas, who delivered the final blow. The line of the prophecy, _And one shall perish by a parent's hand_...

"You knew all along," I guessed. "You knew that Atlas would kill you, yet you still took the quest to save Artemis."

"Yes," she managed. Her eyelids were beginning to flutter.

"Percy!" voices shouted from behind me. I turned around, my eyes getting watery. "Percy, what happened?"

I turned back to Zoe, whose grip loosened.

There was then a sudden bellow in anger, before I heard a large crash. But I kept my eyes trained on Zoe.

"Hang in there!" I told her. "It'll be all right!"

I said this despite the fact that both of us knew she was dying. It was fated.

"I will murder you, cut your organs into slices, and feed them to your parents!" Atlas bellowed. Just then two friendly figures appeared running towards us. I blinked again and realized that somehow Artemis had gotten Atlas back under the sky. Bianca was safe. She looked woozy, though, her steps erratic.

"Zoe!" Artemis shouted.

"My lady," Zoe whispered from below me.

Luke, Annabeth and Thalia stood next to me, staring shocked at the dying daughter of Atlas. They seemed too stunned to do anything.

Artemis rushed to her lieutenant's side, kneeling and putting her hand on Zoe's abdomen. The goddess turned to me, grief-struck. "What happened to her?"

I showed the goddess the scrape in the side of Zoe. It looked even worse now, the skin around it all green. I felt a couple tears drip down my face, but I didn't really care. I could almost feel what she was feeling, the poison coursing through her veins, and the crushing blow from her own father severely damaging her internal organs.

"Nectar and ambrosia," Luke suggested numbly. "We have to help her, right?"

Bianca, still dazed, said, "Prophecy...last line..."

Thalia's eyes widened. "No...but she..." The daughter of Zeus knelt down next to me, putting a helping hand on my shoulder.

I closed my eyes briefly before opening them again and standing up. I turned around. The army of Kronos was just below the rise. As stiff as plywood, I walked forward and pulled the gun out of my pocket. It, miraculously, was still there.

I made sure that it was reloaded and then waited for the army of Kronos to come over the hill. As soon as I saw the first monster, I let a bullet fly. And then as more monsters appeared, I wasted my last few bullets before pulling out my sword.

I knew I was hopelessly outnumbered, even I, one who could take down a group of fifty dracaenae with only minor scratches that were so minor that I'd hardly recognized them, wouldn't be able to take on these monsters.

Artemis was still on the ground, holding Zoe tightly. She seemed to be paralyzed with bereavement.

Just then, I heard a strange buzzing noise. It seemed as though the monsters did as well. As soon as they stopped, a Sopwith Camel swooped down out of the sky.

"Get away from my daughter!" Dr. Chase called down, and his machine guns burst to life, peppering the ground with bullet holes and startling the whole group of monsters into scattering.

"Dad?" yelled Annabeth in disbelief.

"Run!" he called back, his voice growing fainter as the biplane swooped by.

This shook Artemis out of her grief. She stared up at the antique plane, which was now banking around for another strafe.

"A brave man," Artemis said with grudging approval. "Come, We must get Zoe away from here."

She raised her hunting horn to her lips, and its clear sound echoed down the valleys of Northern San Francisco. Zoe's eyes were fluttering.

The Sopwith Camel swooped down again. A few giants threw javelins, and one flew straight between the wings of the plane, but the machine guns blazed. I realized with amazement that somehow Dr. Chase must've design and built a whole bunch of celestial bronze bullets. The first row of snake women wailed as the machine gun's volley blew them into sulfurous yellow powder.

"That's…my dad!" Annabeth said in amazement.

"Dr. Chase!" I yelled. "Don't forget that I need more! I wasted those prototypes."

But his flying wouldn't last long. The giants and snake women were already recovering from their surprise. He would be in trouble soon.

Just then, the moonlight brightened, and a silver chariot appeared from the sky, drawn by the most beautiful deer I had ever seen. It landed right next to us.

"Get in," Artemis said.

Annabeth, Luke and Thalia climbed in without much difficulty. I helped Bianca get in before helping Artemis get Zoe into the chariot. I could only pray that she wasn't suffering painfully.

We wrapped Zoe in a blanket as Artemis pulled the reins and the chariot sped away from the mountain, straight into the air.

"Just like Santa Claus' sleigh," said Bianca, who was still dazed in pain.

Artemis nodded, taking her time to look at the demigoddess. "Indeed, Bianca. And where do you think that legend came from?"

"Though, I think Hermes came up with the part about a fat guy in a jolly red suit," I guessed. "You can never know with gods and goddesses. Maybe you _do_ have a humorous side."

Artemis raised an eyebrow but shook her head and didn't respond.

Seeing us safely away, Dr. Chase turned his biplane and followed us like an honor guard. It must have been one of the strangest sights ever, even for the Bay Area: a silver flying chariot pulled by deer, escorted by a Sopwith Camel.

Behind us, the army of Kronos roared in anger as they gathered on the summit of Mount Tamalpais, but the loudest sound was the voice of Atlas, bellowing curses against the gods as he struggled under the weight of the sky.

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

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**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	18. And One Shall Perish By a Parent's Hand

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

**Unlike other authors, I will continue to post even if my review count does not rise. I'm just that nice.**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Περσεύς 17**

**And One Shall Perish By a Parent's Hand**

We landed at some sort of field just after nightfall. Dr. Chase called it Crissy Field.

I helped bring Zoe out of the chariot and helped Bianca kneel next to us. The Hunter said she felt better than she did five minutes ago, but said she still felt a little woozy.

The others (Luke, Annabeth and Thalia) were talking to Dr. Chase about something.

Anyways, looking at Bianca now, she has a lot more courage that I would have expected. Like Annabeth, she had grey streaks in her hair, a symbol that she'd held up the sky. She confronted me about my decision to sacrifice myself in Arizona and told me that she was actually near tears when I was gone.

"Why?" I asked.

She looked down. "You aren't such a bad guy, Percy. You were brave, you kept me alive. If I had gone in there, I don't think that I would have survived. You were willing to give your life to save _me_, some random demigod whose parentage is unknown."

"And I'm guess you felt like hold up the sky in my place would be a replacement, a favor for saving your life."

"Yeah," she admitted. Then she frowned, as if she'd suddenly got an idea. "How _did_ you escape from Talos? There was no trace of you when we looked. The robot's body was charred on the inside, as if fire was burning..."

She looked down at my arm. "You...that scar. You didn't have that before." She looked up with a horrid fascination. "You got—"

"Burned," I finished. "Severely. I got saved by an old friend...who I didn't think would be an old friend."

"Who?"

"Coeus, Titan of Intelligence."

"What?!"

"He was never really supportive of Kronos' decision," I explained. "He pretended to fail to catch me, and then I made him swear an oath to never make contact with the gods or the Titans on purpose ever again. He helped me, instead. He healed my burnt body, only leaving this scar here and a scar on my right leg, but I'm alive. I assume that's what matters."

"But how could you be saved? The prophecy said—"

"Coeus said that it wasn't my time, yet. I'm not sure how, but I think that he's right. The Fates haven't cut my string. But they've cut Zoe's."

I blinked hard.

The demigoddess looked sorrowfully down at Zoe.

Artemis, who had been next to us during that entire conversation, turned to me curiously. "Coeus, you say? That is peculiar. If he has helped you, and is willing to help you more, I may get Zeus and Styx to remove his oath and allow him to join our side."

"Wouldn't Zeus be mad?" asked Bianca.

"Do doubt," snorted Artemis. "But admittedly...we need more allies. We've lost many, including Zoe, the most faithful Hunter I have ever had."

I gulped and looked down at Zoe. I knew there was nothing I could do for her, absolutely nothing.

"Is there a way we can heal her?" Bianca asked. "We have to help her, right?"

I shook my head. "Like I said, the Fates cut her string. They can't hint that two people are going to die and have both actually survive. That just wouldn't be fair. Then again...Zoe dying isn't fair."

Artemis sighed mournfully. "I can see what I can do, Bianca di Angelo. Tampering with Fate is dangerous, though. Perseus is correct."

She tried to set her hand on Zoe's side, but Zoe gripped her wrist, letting go of mine. She looked into Artemis' eyes, and some kind of understanding passed between them.

"Have I...served thee well?" Zoe whispered.

"With great honor," Artemis said softly. "The finest of my attendants."

Zoe's face relaxed. "Rest. At last."

"I can try to heal the poison, my brave one."

In that moment, a shimmering image appeared above us, glowing in a golden light. I looked up, and my heart wrenched in pain. It was the Fates. They were holding up a ball of yarn, similar to the one I saw in a dream only half a year ago. This time, instead of electric-blue yarn, it was black yarn, the same volcanic shade that Zoe's eyes were.

"This is not the death you cannot stop," the middle one, Atropos, rasped. "But it is one you will have to endure."

Then, with those giant scissors, she cut Zoe's string.

With a ghostly scream, the Fates disappeared, the calling of the spirits of the dead echoing in my mind.

My eyes wandered down to Zoe, who was now grabbing onto Thalia's hand, her body shaking. "I'm sorry we fought," Zoe apologized. "We could have been good friends, very good friends."

"I should be one who is sorry," replied Thalia. The daughter of Zeus blinked hard, just like I was. "I'm sorry for making your life hard when it was hard enough. I knew you were betrayed by Heracles...I just didn't think it would ultimately lead to this, even after thousands of years."

"I accept the apology, Thalia," Zoe said. Then she turned to me. "Percy Jackson."

"Zoe Nightshade," I regarded gravely.

"You are the first, Percy," she said. "I never thought I would ever trust a man again, but you have changed, even in three days."

I smiled. "It's thanks to you that I'm different. I—" My smile faltered. "I never knew your reason for being so 'sexist' was because Heracles had done that to you. I know we already had this talk, but I'm sorry. You've taught me a lot, Zoe, not the opposite. I just thought that...you Hunters hated men just for stupid reasons." I tried hard not to let tears fall on her. "Maybe I am stupid. Serves me right for being the most conflicted demigod in history: personal loyalty but hates betrayals, nice but cruel to enemies, and so on."

"We have both learned from each other," Zoe compromised. "I have learned that not all men are like Heracles—lying, deceiving."

"But most of us are, right?" I said in a slight joking manner.

A weak smile broke on Zoe's face. "Do you still have the pen, Percy?"

Sad, knowing that these were Zoe's final moments, I pulled out the pen. With her remaining strength, she cupped her hands around my hand. "I am honored that you carry this sword. You truly are different. I wish the best of you in thy—thy...thy further days."

She gasped, and I pulled my hands away, not wanting to interfere with whatever was happening.

"My lady," she whispered. "I can see the stars again. The stars."

A tear trickled down Artemis's cheek. "Yes, my brave one. They are beautiful tonight."

"Stars," Zoe repeated. Her eyes fixed on the night sky. And she did not move again.

After Thalia had come to apologize to Zoe, I realized that Annabeth, Dr. Chase and Luke had ceased their conversation. Now, they looked about as pitiful as the rest of us.

Thalia lowered her head. Bianca looked about ready to burst into tears, her hand on Zoe's stomach. Luke sniffled, not because he was crying, but because the moment was somber. Annabeth gulped down a sob, and her father put his hands on her shoulders, a melancholy look in his eyes. I closed my eyes and muttered a prayer to the gods, the Olympians and their allies.

Thunder rumbled in the sky.

Artemis cupped her hand above Zoe's mouth and spoke a few words in Ancient Greek. A silvery wisp of smoke exhaled from Zoe's lips and was caught in the hand of the goddess. Zoe's body shimmered and disappeared.

Artemis stood, said a kind of blessing, breathed into her cupped hand and released the silver dust to the sky. It flew up, sparkling, and vanished.

For a moment I didn't see anything, but then a part of the sky sparkled. Annabeth gasped, and I noticed the newest constellation in the sky. It looked kind of like a girl's figure—a girl with a bow, running across the sky.

"Let the world honor you, my Huntress," Artemis said. "Live forever in the stars."

I wondered what kind of tale would be made up through the Mist for the mortals. Whatever it is, the creator better portray Zoe in a good manner or I'll beat the crap out of him...or her. Sex doesn't matter.

I stood up, not having done so before. My eyes felt irritated.

"Percy..." Thalia put a hand on my shoulder. "Zoe is a good person and is very strong-willed. She'll find her way through the afterlife. I'm sure of it."

I smiled sadly at her. "You're right, Thals. But there's no need for the cheer up. You already know I'm a pessimist."

It wasn't that easy to say goodbye. Bianca and Artemis were to leave to Olympus, though Artemis warned her to close her eyes until Artemis said it was safe to open them. Bianca nodded.

As silence began enveloping us, I looked back at Mount Tamalpais. Thunder and lightning rumbled at the top of the mountain, Atlas still bellowing his fury.

Artemis flickered a few times. My eyes widened, knowing if she lost her control that we would disintegrate just looking at her. That would be an unfortunate event for us considered we'd just survived battling Atlas.

"I must go to Olympus immediately," Artemis said. "I will not be able to take you, but I will send help."

She put her hand on Annabeth's shoulder. "You are brave beyond measures, Annabeth. I am sure that you will choose what is right. Even if it means you do not join the Hunt."

Annabeth flushed and looked down. Luke flickered his eyes between Annabeth and Artemis awkwardly.

Then she looked quizzically at Thalia, as if she weren't sure what to make of this younger daughter of Zeus. Thalia seemed reluctant to look up, but something made her, and she held the goddess's eyes. I wasn't sure what passed between them, but Artemis's gaze turned to something of understanding. Then she turned to me.

"You did well," she said. "For a man."

I wanted to protest. But then I realized it was the first time she hadn't called me a boy.

"Come, Bianca," said the goddess. She then mounted her chariot. Bianca followed suit.

"See you in a bit," Bianca waved. I waved back as the chariot took flight and zipped across the moonlit sky in a flash of silver.

"Well," Dr. Chase sighed. "She was impressive; though I must say I still prefer Athena."

Annabeth turned toward him. "Dad, I…I'm sorry that—"

"Shh." He hugged her. "Do what you must, my dear. I know this isn't easy for you."

His voice was a little shaky, but he gave Annabeth a brave smile.

Then he looked up at me. "You said you wanted more bullets, right?"

I nodded, surprised as I'd forgotten about that. "Actually, yeah."

"Well," he said with a grin. "You seem to have forgotten that you have the blueprints to give to your fellow campers—the Hephaestus campers, I presume."

I turned red. "Oh, yeah. I kind of forgot about that."

Thalia let out a quiet snicker.

"But maybe you can come visit me here, in San Francisco during Spring Break if you want," he suggested. "Or if you decide you don't want to go back to school, which Annabeth told me you don't want to go, you can visit whenever you're free."

I glared at the daughter of Athena. "_When_ did you tell your dad that?"

She cracked a smile. "Back in Virginia, when you suggested I write back to my dad."

"Thanks, Annabeth. Thanks a lot."

"No problem."

All of us chuckled a little bit, enjoying the slight comic relief after such a sad event.

Then I heard the whoosh of large wings. Three pegasi descended through the fog: two white winged horses and one pure black one.

"Hey, Blackjack," I said.

_Yo, boss_, he said. _You manage to survive without me?_

"Actually, I almost got killed," I admitted. "But that's no problem."

_No problem, eh boss? Guess gettin' killed is normal for you._

"It's starting to be, Blackjack."

_Well, I brought Guido and Porkpie with me_.

_How ya doin'?_ The other two pegasi spoke in my mind.

"Fine, thank you very much."

"It is quite obvious that I am not able to go on this trip to Olympus," said Dr. Chase. "But before I go, Annabeth. I know…I know San Francisco is a dangerous place for you. But please remember, you always have a home with us. We will keep you safe. If you want, you can bring your friends with you. We have extra space."

Annabeth smiled at her father before turning away, the smile vanishing. Her eyes were red.

Blackjack beat his wings, as if he were shivering. Dr. Chase looked up and gave an inquisitive look to the pegasi. "Why, if the British had had these pegasi in the cavalry charges on the Crimea," he said, "the charge of the light brigade—"

"Dad!" Annabeth interrupted.

He smiled, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. It is just natural to be interested in history, for me at least."

I raised an eyebrow. "No wonder, Athena fell for you. No offense, but you sound even nerdier than Annabeth."

"I sounded the same when I was talking about celestial bronze bullets to you."

"Well, I was interested in the bullets. I probably wasn't listening to you."

"That's kind of rude, Perce," said Luke.

I grinned. "I know. I just have a hard time listening to smart people. Too much information to inhale."

Annabeth glared at me.

"You seem really happy," Thalia noticed.

"Just trying to stay positive, right?" I said. "Otherwise I'd be the worst kind of person ever. A pessimist who's seen the world in its true colors? Wow, you wouldn't want to meet a person who is like that. But yes, I am still sad over Zoe's death. It doesn't seem fair, yet it is at the same time."

The others nodded silently, agreeing with my statement.

"I better be going now," Dr. Chase said after extended silence. He turned to Annabeth and opened his mouth to say something, but seemingly thought better of it. He raised a hand in a sad farewell and traipsed away in the dark field.

I turned to Luke and Annabeth. "You wanna share?"

"Yes," said Luke. "That'd be nice."

Annabeth's look of anger towards me dissipated and she blushed. "Yeah, sure."

"Alright, then." I turned to the daughter of Zeus. "You get your own pegasus, Thalia."

She nodded and mounted Guido. Luke and Annabeth got onto Porkpie together, who was whining in his head about carrying the heaviest load, and I got onto Blackjack, who was rather disappointed that I hadn't found apples in the Garden of the Hesperides. It didn't matter because it would have meant that Blackjack would become immortal. That wouldn't be so nice for him, seeing me die off...and then my offspring, and then _their_ offspring, and so on.

As we flew over the bay and flew toward the eastern hills until San Francisco was only a glittering crescent behind us, with an occasional flicker of lightning in the north, Annabeth and Luke fell asleep, exhausted, on Porkpie. The pegasus helped them stay safely on his back by adjusting himself as they leaned over.

Time passed and I flew side by side with Thalia.

"Can we please get out of the sky?" the daughter of Zeus said shakily. "This is not helping."

_Daughter of Zeus? Afraid of heights?_ asked Guido baffled.

"Yeah," I said. "It's weird, but in any other case she'll beat you up pretty bad."

_I trust you, lord_, Guido said. _Or as Blackjack keeps saying, _boss_. I've met F.D.R. I know I'm pretty old, but he was kind of scary when he was angry._

"I swear, don't tell anyone that I'm afraid of heights or I'll rip your eyes out with Annabeth's dagger," Thalia threatened, her voice wavering.

_Tell her I understand,_ Guido said.

"He understands, Thals," I chuckled. "Don't worry about it."

I flew a little closer and grabbed Thalia's hand, which was gripped onto Guido's mane so tightly, I was afraid she'd rip his hair off. "Here, Thals. Look at me. Concentrate on me, nothing else."

"Why?"

"I don't want you feeling scared," I answered. "Come on. You're Thalia Gra—Thalia, daughter of _Zeus_, one of the most powerful gods on Olympus. You can handle a couple of heights. As long as you hold onto my hand, you'll be fine."

She squeezed my hand tightly and opened her eyes.

I grimaced from how hard Thalia was holding it. Sure I'd faced worse pain, but it didn't mean other things didn't hurt as well.

I tried ignoring the pain, fearing if I told her to loosen up, she'd only crush them tighter.

Thalia stared at me, a wild light in her eyes, just like every other time when she was freaked out. "Percy." She blinked a few times and kept staring at me. It felt like hours before she finally spoke. "I'm kind of doing it. Just forget about the distance between the ground and yourself, Thalia."

She exhaled loudly. "So, Percy. I, uh, guess Luke and Annabeth had their little payback on Ethan. Did he really try to threaten to kill Annabeth?"

I nodded. "Yeah. But I'm glad that the Titans are stupid. I mean, the same key for a door and handcuffs? There's a difference between unintelligent and downright retarded. The Titans passed _downright retarded_. Seriously."

Thalia laughed a little. It was nice to hear her laugh again. Less than a week ago, we'd been arguing like we were the worst enemies on the planet. It had felt like forever, though.

"Good thing that little bastard, Ethan, is dead now," she said. "We don't have to worry about him anymore."

I hesitated. "Actually, I don't think he's dead."

As soon as I said that, my eyes widened. Why had I said that?

"What are you talking about?" Thalia said, narrowing her eyes.

"I—I don't know," I said, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion. "I just have this feeling. I don't know why I said that, but...I just don't think he's dead."

"And what makes you think that?" Thalia demanded.

I told her about my suspicions, things I'd noticed while she, Luke and Annabeth were fighting him. The things about him seeming heavier to push down, as if he were made of stone. A hurricane of possibilities swirled in my head, but I tried not to think about it. If Ethan can survive that fall, we are in serious danger.

"But how could he become heavier?" Thalia asked. "That's impossible. If you ask me, he looks as frail and skinny as ever."

"I know...but I swear, I saw it in battle. I have a bad feeling about all of this. If Ethan could survive that fall..."

"We are in serious danger." Thalia repeated my thoughts.

_Boss, hold on tight,_ Blackjack said. _We're gonna go into hyperdrive!_

"Hyperdrive? What the—"

_Here we go!_

"Wait, Blackjack! Don't do this! Annabeth and Luke are still—"

Suddenly, the wind whipped at my face and supersonic speeds, making my face literally feel like ripping off. My ears plugged and I could no longer hear. The wind made it hurt to open my eyes. Before I could die, we suddenly appeared in a new area, a quite familiar one.

The wind died, my ears popped, and I could open my eyes once again.

The sky had turned grey, a sign that dawn was approaching. The familiar blazing lights of New York shined in front of us, never turning off in The City That Never Sleeps.

_How's that for speedy, loss_? Blackjack bragged. _We get extra hay for breakfast or what_?

"We'll see," I said. "Depends if the gods kill me or not."

_Hm. Well, can I get your cabin if you _do_ die_?

"Thanks for having so much faith in me, Blackjack," I said sarcastically. "Only I am able to doubt myself. It's just the way it works. Either way, you're the man...er, the horse, I mean."

"There it is." Luke's voice. He'd woken up, causing Annabeth to wake up as well. He pointed towards Manhattan, which was now quickly zooming into view.

"What's staring?" Annabeth asked, rubbing her eyes.

I looked at where Luke was pointing: the Empire State Building. Above it was Olympus in all its glory, a giant floating island with torches and braziers ablaze, the white Greek buildings gleaming in the early morning light.

"The Winter Solstice," I said. "The Council of the Gods."

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

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**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	19. Wanted List

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

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******Don't forget, if you have nothing better to do, check out my other story The Argonauts: Quest for the Golden Fleece**

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SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Περσεύς 18**

**Wanted List**

Normally, flying on a pegasus felt like neutral territory: I was on a descendant of my father's son, though I was also in the sky, my uncle's domain. But the fact there was thunder and lightning swirling around Olympus like Zeus was ready to blast me didn't exactly have me reassured.

We circled over midtown Manhattan, making one complete orbit around Mount Olympus. I'd been there twice before, once after leaving Gabe (alive...which was a stupid mistake) and once after returning Zeus' lightning bolt. If it was possible, Olympus amazed me even more than those other times.

In the early-morning darkness, torches and fires made the mountainside palaces glow twenty different colors, from bloodred to indigo. Apparently no one ever slept on Olympus. The twisting streets were full of demigods and nature spirits and minor godlings bustling about, riding chariots or sedan chairs carried by Cyclopes. Winter didn't seem to exist here. I caught the scent of the gardens in full bloom, jasmine and roses and even sweeter things I couldn't name. Music drifted up from many windows, the soft sounds of lyres and reed pipes.

Towering at the peak of the mountain was the greatest palace of all, the glowing white hall of the gods.

Our pegasi set us down in the outer courtyard, in front of huge silver gates. Before I could even think to knock, the gates opened by themselves.

_Good luck, boss_, said Blackjack.

"Thanks, Blackjack. Nice to know you actually have positive feelings toward me."

If pegasi could grin, I swear he was grinning right now. _Don't forget my offer about your cabin being my stable._

I rolled my eyes. "Go get yourself an apple, Blackjack."

_On it, boss_, he replied. _Guido, Porkpie. Let's go find us some apples!_

I chuckled as the pegasi flew away, leaving the four of us at the giant silver gates.

Then I turned around, and for a minute, my friends and I regarded the palace, exactly how we did to Westover Hall, which felt like a bazillion years ago.

And then, side by side, we walked into the throne room.

Twelve enormous thrones made a U around a central hearth, just like the placement of the cabins at camp. The ceiling above glittered with constellations—even the newest one, Zoe the Huntress, making her way across the heavens with her bow drawn.

All of the seats were occupied. Each god and goddess was about fifteen feet tall, and all of them were staring at us as we entered.

At the hearth, I noticed a smaller seat with a skinny, pale god sitting down. It was Hades. His eyes were trained forward and were unfocused, as if he were having a little daydream. Hestia sat at the bottom of the hearth as an eight-year-old girl. She tended the flames and smiled warmly at us as we entered.

I saw Bianca standing at the side, facing Zeus' throne.

She saw us and a smile broke out on her face.

"Welcome, heroes," Artemis said.

"Mooo!"

That's when I noticed Bessie and Grover.

A sphere of water was hovering in the center of the room, next to the hearth fire. Bessie was swimming happily around, swishing his serpent tail and poking his head out the sides and bottom of the sphere. He seemed to be enjoying the novelty of swimming in a magic bubble. Grover was kneeling at Zeus's throne, as if he'd just been giving a report, but when he saw me, his eyes widened.

"Percy! You're alive!" Then he shook his head. "Of course he's alive. He's Percy _freaking_ Jackson."

"It's nice to see you again, G-man," I called.

Grover looked at Zeus for permission to turn his back on him. The King of the Gods nodded, though he wasn't really paying attention to Grover. His eyes bore directly into Thalia's soul and mind.

Grover trotted over. None of the gods spoke. Every clop of Grover's hooves echoed on the marble floor. Bessie splashed in his bubble of water. The hearth fire crackled.

I looked over to my father's throne, hoping that he wouldn't be too mad about what I did. When he saw me, he gave me a disapproving look before a smile engulfed it. He nodded, as if to say, _It's okay_.

Grover gave Annabeth and Thalia big hugs. Then he high-fived Luke. After, he grabbed my shoulders. "Percy. Bessie and I made it, thanks to Zoe's help. It was sad to hear that she died. But now they want to undo her work. You have to convince them not to!"

"Not to what?" I asked.

"Heroes," Artemis called.

The goddess slid down from her throne and turned to human size, a young auburn-haired girl, perfectly at ease in the midst of the giant Olympians. She walked toward us, her silver robes shimmering. There was no emotion in her face. She seemed to walk in a column of moonlight.

"The Council has been informed of your deeds," Artemis told us. "They know that Mount Othrys is rising in the West. They know of Atlas's attempt for freedom, and the gathering armies of Kronos. We have voted to act."

There was some mumbling and shuffling among the gods, as if they weren't all happy with this plan, but nobody protested.

"At my Lord Zeus's command," Artemis said, "my brother Apollo and I shall hunt the most powerful monsters, seeking to strike them down before they can join the Titans' cause. Lady Athena shall personally check on the other Titans to make sure they do not escape their various prisons. Lord Poseidon has been given permission to unleash his full fury on the cruise ship _Princess Andromeda_ and send it to the bottom of the sea. And as for you, my heroes…"

She turned to face the other immortals. "These half-bloods have done Olympus a great service. Would any here deny that?"

She looked around at the assembled gods, meeting their faces individually. Zeus in his dark pin-striped suit, his black beard neatly trimmed, and his eyes sparking with energy. Next to him sat a beautiful woman with silver hair braided over one shoulder and a dress that shimmered colors like peacock feathers. The Lady Hera. On Zeus's right, my father Poseidon. Next to him, a huge lump of a man with a leg in a steel brace, a misshapen head, and a wild brown beard, fire flickering through his whiskers. The Lord of the Forges, Hephaestus.

Hermes winked at me.

He was wearing a business suit today, checking messages on his caduceus mobile phone. Apollo leaned back in his golden throne with his shades on. He had iPod headphones on, so I wasn't sure he was even listening, but he gave me a thumbs-up.

Dionysus looked bored, twirling a grape vine between his fingers. And Ares, well, he sat on his chrome-and-leather throne sharpening a knife.

On the ladies' side of the throne room, a beautiful dark-haired goddess in green robes sat next to Hera on a throne woven of apple-tree branches. Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest, Katie's mother.

Next to her sat a beautiful gray-eyed woman in an elegant white dress. She could only be Annabeth's mother, Athena. Then there was Aphrodite, who looked like all of the prettiest women on Earth combined.

"I gotta say"—Apollo broke the silence—"these kids did okay." He cleared his throat and began to recite: "_Heroes win laurels_—"

"Um, yes, first class," Hermes interrupted, like he was anxious to avoid Apollo's poetry. "All in favor of not disintegrating them?"

A few tentative hands went up—Demeter, Aphrodite.

"Wait just a minute," Ares growled. He pointed at Thalia and me. "These two are dangerous. It'd be much safer, while we've got them here—"

"Ares," Poseidon interrupted, "they are worthy heroes. We will not blast my son to bits."

"Nor my daughter," Zeus grumbled. "She has done well."

Thalia blushed. She studied the floor. I felt kind of sympathetic towards her. I knew that no one really got to talk with their godly parents. Even though I hadn't seen Poseidon in half a year to a year, I still talked to him much more often than the average demigod with their own parent.

Dionysus gazed down at us wearily. "Well. I supposed the war god is right. Those two are dangerous, a large threat knocking down at our doors."

I scowled. Okay, maybe I did have my doubts about some Olympians...

The goddess Athena cleared her throat and sat forward. "Even as thick-skulled as Ares is, and how lazy Dionysus is, I agree with them. I am proud of my daughter, but there is a security risk here with the other two."

"Mother!" Annabeth said. "How can you—"

Athena cut her off with a calm but firm look. "It is unfortunate that my father, Zeus, and my uncle, Poseidon, chose to break their oath not to have more children. Only Hades kept his word, a fact that I find ironic. As we know from the Great Prophecy, children of the three elder gods…such as Thalia and Percy…are dangerous."

"Right!" Ares said.

"You know she just called you thick-skulled," Hermes informed him. Then he turned to Dionysus. "And she called you lazy."

"I don't deny it," the wine god said.

But Ares was mad. "Hey! Who are you calling thick-skull—"

"Oh, for the love of us, sit down!" Demeter said exasperated. She snapped her fingers and pinned Ares to his throne just as he was about to get up.

"It is not equitable to destroy the demigods because of the power they posses," Artemis argued. "They have done good for Olympus."

"I am not saying I pass judgement, sister," Athena stated calmly. "I merely point out the risks to Olympus. What we do is for the Council to decide."

"Well, I will not have any hero punished today," said Artemis firmly. "Iwill have them rewarded. If we destroy heroes who do us a great favor, then we are no better than the Titans. If this is Olympian justice, I will have none of it."

"Calm down, sis," Apollo said. "Jeez, you need to lighten up."

"Don't call me _sis_! I will reward them."

"Well," Zeus grumbled. "Perhaps. But the monster at least must be destroyed. We have agreement on that?"

A lot of nodding heads.

It took me a second to realize what they were saying. Then my heart turned to lead. "Bessie? You want to destroy Bessie?"

"Mooooooo!" Bessie protested.

My father frowned. "You have named the Ophiotaurus Bessie?"

"Dad," I said, "he's just a sea creature. A really _nice_ sea creature. You can't destroy him."

Poseidon shifted uncomfortably. "Percy, the monster's power is considerable. If the Titans were to steal it, or—"

"Or what?" I said. "Do you not trust your own security? Do you feel that you cannot trust the other gods and goddesses on Olympus? Besides, you can never control prophecies. You tried killing me once, remember Zeus? I didn't die. Hades tried killing Thalia once, remember Lord Hades? You failed as well."

"That doesn't mean that the prophecy is—"

"Dad," I said. "Come on. You have to trust me. Lord Zeus. You have to trust me."

Zeus scowled. "Trust a hero? What of the risks? Kronos knows very well that if either of you were to sacrifice the entrails, you would have the power to destroy us. Do you think we can let that possibility remain?"

"Yes, you can," I insisted. "Tell me all of the ways that you could stop Kronos from destroying you. Tell me all of the risks you know."

"Killing this beast will eliminate a huge threat," Zeus said.

I pursed my lips. "You know how you could stop Kronos from destroying you, if we're referring to things _your_ way, the Council's way."

"Percy," my father warned, knowing I was going to take it up a notch. But I ignored him.

"If we did things _your_ way, to eliminate the threat of Kronos you would need to murder every single one of your children, including minor gods and goddesses, stop having children, make sure you quarantine Olympus so that only gods and goddesses that you can trust are allowed on, and wait for your impending doom. Do you think Kronos will stop from rising if Bessie is destroyed? I don't think so. Do you think Kronos would wait for the next child of the elder gods to grow up? I don't think so. I'm not trying to piss you off, but it's like you can't even think of the consequences. Killing me won't solve your problem. It'll make it worse. At least I have a chance of killing Kronos before he turns to his true form, even if it is slim."

The Olympian Council stared at me in awed silence.

"He is..._right_," Artemis said, feeling uncomfortable saying those words. "Which is why I must first make a reward. My faithful companion, Zoe Nightshade, has passed into the stars. I must have a new lieutenant. And I intend to choose one. But first, Father Zeus, I must speak to you privately."

Zeus beckoned Artemis forward. He leaned down and listened as she spoke in his ear.

I turned to look at Thalia. She gave me a sad look, which made me anxious. Was she becoming a Hunter or not?

And then Artemis turned.

"I shall have a new lieutenant or two co-lieutenants," Artemis announced. "If the second will accept it."

"Bianca di Angelo," she said. "Thalia, daughter of Zeus. Will you join the Hunt?"

More stunned silence filled the room.

Bianca walked over to us and tapped Thalia on the shoulder. "It's alright, Thalia. I can handle being lieutenant on my own. Plus, I can tell you and Percy have a thing for each other. I'm guessing that's what Aphrodite talked to you about back in Arizona?"

The daughter of Zeus nodded.

"It's alright." Then she turned to me. "And Percy. I need to talk to you after this. It's about my godly parent."

Bianca turned and smiled at Artemis. She walked up to the goddess and bowed in front of her. She said firmly, "I will become the lieutenant of the Hunters, my lady."

Thalia grabbed my hand, which I was a little surprised by. "I'm sorry, Lady Artemis. But I don't think that the Hunt is the right fit for me. I am grateful for your offer, though. Thank you, Lady Artemis."

Artemis looked at me and Thalia with a look of understanding, seemingly allowing Thalia to just give up a spot in the Hunt without being mad in any way. I gave Artemis a look of thanks and bowed my head at the goddess.

After giving us the look of understanding, she swiped her hand over Bianca's head, which suddenly glowed silver. I could see Bianca's silvery aura grow bigger, and as the glowing silver light faded, a crown appeared on her head, a circlet, just like Zoe's.

"I present you the Council, the new lieutenant of my Hunters."

Bianca's smile grew wider and she bowed again to the goddess. Then she looked for permission to turn her back. When Zeus and Artemis nodded, she came back over to me and hugged me.

To say I was shocked would be an understatement.

"Thank you, Percy," she said loud enough for everyone to hear. "Thank you for forgiving me even after my selfish decision to leave Nico. I will try to come back to camp with you guys to tell him I am leaving, but I promise to visit often. I'm glad you don't hold the grudge."

I patted Bianca on the back hesitantly. "It's no problem, Bianca. I understand your reasons...though you can never give up on family, no matter what."

"I promise to visit as often as I can."

"I'm sure you will be able to, as long as your timetable is flexible."

She shrugged and looked over at Artemis. "It depends on my lady's wishes. Speaking of which..." She turned to Zeus. "Lord Zeus? May I excuse Percy and myself for a couple of minutes. I need to speak to him about something."

Zeus looked at Artemis who nodded. "Go ahead," he grumbled.

Bianca beckoned me to follow her out of the throne room until we were in the hallway just outside. The new lieutenant of the Hunters was pale-faced. "Percy, I think I've figured out my godly parent."

"Who is it?"

She looked around, making sure no one could hear her. "Ever since I arrived, he's been giving me a happy look. At first, it creeped me out...until I thought of the possibility that I'm his daughter, and Nico his son."

"Okay, so I know your godly parent is a male," I said. "Go on."

"Percy, remember the skeleton in Cloudcroft, how I could kill it when it erupted into flames?" she reflected. "What god has power over skeletons to do his bidding?"

I frowned, thinking of who it could possibly be. Then my world tumbled. "Hades. You're a daughter of Hades."

"I have to be," she said. "Why else would he look at me like that?"

"But the oath and—"

"I was born before the oath, remember?" Bianca reminded me. "I think I can vaguely remember what happened. I was born in the thirties until World War II occurred. My mother...she was an Italian-American. I don't remember much after that. Then I assume I was put in the Lotus Hotel and Casino, and then seventy years passed. I was born before Hades was defeated by Poseidon and Zeus."

I gulped. "But you're still a dangerous asset. If the Titans get their hands on Nico, they are free to kill me and Thalia off. This is bad, bad, bad."

"I need your help, Percy," she begged. "Break it to the gods without angering them. I can't let them execute Nico. It would be like a knife in my back. I was the one who betrayed him and I would be the one to get our parentage publicized."

"I'll do what I can, Bianca. I can't guarantee anything."

The daughter of Hades nodded and ushered us back into the throne room where they were arguing about destroying the Ophiotaurus.

"You can't destroy it," Thalia pleaded with her father. "The Ophiotaurus is just a little animal."

"Its entrails hold great power, Thalia," Zeus said. "We must take action."

"But killing it is _not_ the right action," she argued.

"Leaving the girl and boy alive is dangerous, father," Dionysus spoke up. "They disagree to everything we say, and there is great temptation in great power."

"As much of a sot, Dionysus is, he is correct, father," Athena said. "If we must battle Kronos, we will. There is no point in risking the downfall of Olympus. The boy holds great resentment to the Olympian gods. Your daughter is less of a risk, but should the card of power fall into her hands..."

"No!" my father said, standing up. "I will not let a sea creature like this be killed without mercy, even if it does hold the power to destroy us. My boy will not turn against Olympus, should you not persuade him to. Have you not thought how your degrading comments may lead him to believe we are not good? _Kill the boy because he is a risk_. My son is right. Think about the consequences of your actions before you say them."

Athena's face reddened. Although the things my father had said were true, I didn't exactly want half the Council to blame Athena if I betray the gods. "It's not all Athena, dad. It's almost everybody for what some did, and what some didn't do. Zeus killed my mother. Of course I'm going to be angry. Hades doesn't like me because I'm the product of a broken law. What a stupid reason! Dionysus hates me because I'm a 'hero' and all heroes break the hearts of their first loves. The idiot can't even recite the alphabet. You weren't there for half of my life. Even though I forgive you, it is something that still hurts at the end of the day. Trust me, I know that over half the Council wants to kill me right now, but I swear that I will stand by Olympus until its final days. Even though I know not all of you are good, you are definitely better than the Titans. It's not all Athena. Trust me, she knows what she's talking about. She's just taking it too far."

The goddess of wisdom gave me a calculative look while the rest of the Council nodded at my words, though Dionysus gave me a murderous look and Hades gave me a blank, expectant stare.

"I'm sorry, son, but I vouch for you," the sea god announced. I vouch for the safety of the Ophiotaurus and my son. I vouch on behalf of Zeus for his own daughter. They will not turn against Olympus as long as they stay together with their group of friends. Together, as that group of four, I believe that they will become an elite force in the Titan War."

He held out his hand, and a trident appeared in it: a twenty foot long bronze shaft with three spear tips that shimmered with blue, watery light.

"You will not take the Ophiotaurus under the sea!" Zeus stood up enraged. "I will not have that kind of bargaining chip under your possession."

Poseidon gave Zeus a sour look. "Fine, brother. We shall keep the beast up here on Olympus. I will make sure that Hephaestus and I make an aquarium. The creature will be safe. We shall protect it with all our powers."

Zeus thought about this. "All in favor?"

Poseidon put his hand up. Then Zeus, then Hera. Next was Hephaestus and then Aphrodite, who giggled at her husband. Ares, who looked pissed, raised his hand next, looking at me expectantly as if saying, _Start the war, buddy, or I'll rip you to shreds_. Demeter put her hand up next followed by Hermes and Apollo. Artemis nodded and raised her hand.

I thought that Athena would definitely abstain, but the thoughtful look of her face gave me the feeling that she knew this was the safest plan that everyone could agree on. Something told me she knew Kronos wouldn't stop rising even after my death, if the gods had killed me on the spot.

She raised her hand tentatively.

Dionysus was the only to abstain in the end.

"We have a majority," Zeus decreed. "And so, since we will not be destroying these heroes… I imagine we should honor them. Let the triumph celebration begin!"

* * *

There are parties, and then there are huge, major, blowout parties. And then there are Olympian parties. If you ever get a choice, go for the Olympian.

The Nine Muses cranked up the tunes, and I realized the music was whatever you wanted it to be: the gods could listen to classical and the younger demigods heard hip-hop or whatever, and it was all the same sound track. No arguments. No fights to change the radio station. Just requests to crank it up.

Dionysus went around growing refreshment stands out of the ground, and a beautiful woman walked with him arm in arm—his wife, Ariadne. Dionysus looked happy for the first time.

Nectar and ambrosia overflowed from golden fountains, and platters of mortal snack food crowded the banquet tables. Golden goblets filled with whatever drink you wanted. Grover trotted around with a full plate of tin cans and enchiladas, and his goblet was full of double-espresso latte, which he kept muttering over like an incantation: "Pan! Pan!"

Gods kept coming over to congratulate me. Thankfully, they had reduced themselves to human size, so they didn't accidentally trample partygoers under their feet. Hermes started chatting with me before Luke came over and the god pulled his son aside to check to make sure that he was alright.

Luke mouthed, _Help_!

_You're on your own_, I mouthed back and walked away from an infuriated Luke.

Apollo told me I could drive his sun chariot any time, and if I ever wanted archery lessons—

"Thanks," I told him. "But seriously, I'm no good at archery."

"Ah, nonsense," he said. "Target practice from the chariot as we fly over the U.S.? Best fun there is!"

I made some excuses and wove through the crowds that were dancing in the palace courtyards. I tried looking for Bianca, who had somehow disappeared in the midst of the party chaos, when a man's voice spoke from behind me.

"You won't let me down, I hope."

I turned and found Poseidon smiling at me.

"Dad…hi."

"Hello, Percy. You've done well."

"Thanks. I won't let you down."

He nodded, though he seemed to have his doubts.

"I trust you, Percy," he said. "I trust you with every godly fiber in my bodies, but you must know that Ethan Nakamura once promised to the gods that he would never let us down, never betray us. He was only eight, but I remember that clearly when he first set out on his quest to Mississippi. Just bear that in mind, Percy. Even the bravest can fall."

"But he's not dead," I said. "Not yet."

Poseidon sighed. "That, you are correct on, my son. I have seen it. His boat sails from San Francisco with the remains of Kronos even now. He will retreat and regroup before assaulting you again. I will do my best to destroy his boat with storms, but he is making alliances with my enemies, the older spirits of the ocean. They will fight to protect him."

"But how can he be alive?" I said. "That fall should've killed him."

Poseidon looked troubled. "I don't know, Percy, but beware of him. He is more dangerous than ever. And the golden coffin is still with him, still growing in strength."

"Dad. I have something to confess to you."

"And what is that?"

"You remember Nico and Bianca di Angelo, right?"

"Yes, the two new children whom you rescued from Maine," Poseidon nodded.

"When I told you about them a long time ago in Las Vegas, your face darkened, as if you already knew about them," I investigated. "You recognize them, don't you."

My father sighed wearily. "Percy. Sometimes living in the past is not the best way to—"

"They were children of Hades during World War II, weren't they?" I said. "I remembered another event from my young childhood when I met Hades. He confessed that he put my mother in Elysium because she was a good person and because he knew what it felt like to lose a lover. Bianca and Nico...their mother was killed by Zeus, wasn't she?"

"Yes," Poseidon admitted. "I recognized those names. I have a knack for remembering things my brothers do not. They are, in fact, from Washington D.C., but of Italian descent."

He looked like he was about to say more, but just then, Bessie started mooing from across the courtyard. Some demigods were playing with his water sphere, joyously pushing it back and forth over the top of the crowd.

"I'd better take care of that," Poseidon grumbled. "We can't have the Ophiotaurus tossed around like a beach ball. Be good, my son. We may not speak again for some time."

And just like that he was gone.

I was about to keep searching the crowd when another voice spoke. "Your father takes a great risk, you know."

I found myself face-to-face with a gray-eyed woman who looked so much like Annabeth I almost called her that.

"Athena." I tried not to sound boastful after outsmarting her in front of the Council.

"You remind me much of Theseus and Odysseus," she analyzed. "Both combined in a way. You use that little bit of intelligence you have to favor yourself in a somewhat deceitful way. You threaten us that you would join Kronos if we demolish your pride before you hit us with a 'low blow,' disgracing some of us. That is, before you rebuild your connection with Olympus by swearing to stand by Olympus forever."

I shrugged. "I guess it comes from being on the streets a lot. You have to threaten, lie and trick your way into receiving things. But you have to do it intelligently, like Theseus. By the way, didn't you fall in love with him?"

Athena's face went pink for a second before returning to their normal shade. "I stand by my words, son of Poseidon. You are a risk to Olympus. In many ways, you are useful. But if Kronos can get his hands on you and trick you..."

"I swear, Lady Athena," I said. "I will do everything in my power to stay loyal to Olympus."

"I concede the point. You may perhaps be useful. And yet…your fatal flaw may destroy us as well as yourself."

I grimaced, knowing I had done stupid things because of my fatal flaw. I'd gone into Talos knowing I would have died, and probably screwed over Olympus because Thalia would have probably died after grieving after me (Yeah, I'm that cocky. Just kidding.).

Athena almost looked sorry for me. "Personal loyalty may not seem like a terrible fatal flaw, but—"

"The most dangerous flaws are those which are good in moderation," I finished grinning. "I know, Lady Athena. But don't forget that it has been affected by years of being on the streets. I know when things are bad."

"We will see what you turn into, Percy Jackson," Athena said. "You better hope you grow more into a Theseus, otherwise you will have destroyed us already. Should you waver in your loyalties..."

She fixed me with her cold gray stare, and I realized what a terrible enemy Athena would make, ten times worse than Ares or Dionysus or maybe even my father. Athena would never give up. She would never do something rash or stupid just because she hated you, and if she made a plan to destroy you, it would not fail.

"Excuse me, niece," a cold voice said to my right. "I understand you wish to kill young Perseus Jackson, but I would prefer if he stays alive. It would be the better for all of us, as you know he is the most capable of the children of the Big Three."

I turned and surprisingly saw Hades.

"Children?" Athena gazed into Hades' eyes. "You act as if there are more than Percy and Thalia."

"You remember how Zeus murdered her, don't you?" Hades growled. "You were his tactical advisor during the war. Bianca and Nico survived because of me, but Maria died."

Her eyes widened, as if the memory had just registered. "There are more children of the Big Three?! We need to act upon this at once, Hades. You realize that your son is only ten years old. He does not know what to do if Kronos gets to him and—"

"That is why Percy Jackson must be kept alive," Hades interrupted. "He will help my son. Only he can, because despite having our arguments, I know he can be trusted with keeping family safe."

Athena glared at the god of the Underworld. "So be it. Should your children betray the gods, I shall say none to help you."

"Whatever," he grumbled. "Now leave, niece."

She turned angrily and strode through the crowds, which parted before her as if she were carrying Aegis.

"Lord Hades, I—"

"Be quiet, Percy," ordered Hades. "Let the word be spread, my children are back. I look to you to help Nico get through life at camp. Bianca was always the smarter and more ingenious one. Teach Nico how to fight with a sword. I will bring him down to the Underworld to teach him his demigod powers. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir. But I have one question. Why did you take them out of the Lotus Hotel and Casino?"

Hades gave me a bitter look. "That is not for you to find out, Jackson. The only thing you should know is that my child will be shunned at camp. Lead him out, Percy. Make sure you hand the ass of whoever makes fun of Nico, or I'll do it myself. For once, I want some respect."

I swallowed. "Where is Nico going to stay? There is no Hades cabin."

"Presumably in the Hermes cabin," Hades sulked. "Unless a cabin for my son is built at Camp Half-Blood..."

I frowned. That wouldn't be fair. Nico would probably be bugged by the Hermes kids because of his parentage. It would be the exact opposite of what Hades was asking of me. No other cabin would take him in, and I'm pretty sure Hera wouldn't want the son of Hades sleeping in her cabin. Thalia probably wouldn't want to sleep with Nico in her cabin. The only real possibility was...

"I'll take him into my cabin, Uncle Hades," I offered. "As long as my father is okay with it, we can do that until a cabin can be built."

Hades sighed. "Now I have to find your father. Thank you, son of Poseidon."

"Actually, I'm completely fine with it," my father said, appearing out of the crowd. "As long as you don't plan to strangle my son with your son, we should be on equal terms, brother."

Hades regarded Poseidon with a wary look. "You have never aided me before. What changes your heart?"

"You _are_ right," my father admitted. "You do deserve more respect. I mean, at least with fish and sea creatures you can chat about positive things. Down in the Underworld, all you have is Persephone...and that's for half of the year."

A figure burst through the crowd. "Percy!" Thalia skidded to a halt when she saw Hades and Poseidon.

"Um, Lord Poseidon. Lord Hades." She bowed awkwardly, giving Hades a wary look.

"Do not worry, daughter of Zeus," smiled Hades, though it looked malicious on his face. "As long as my children are in play, you cannot be harmed. Do as my brother would do: relax."

"I do love relaxing," admitted my father. "I'm sure you two wouldn't be interested in the conversation Hades and are having, so I guess you two can go off and dance together. Just make sure you two stay in sight of people. I do not want to be a grandfather yet."

"Aw, dad," I whined, as Thalia reddened.

My father chuckled. "Go have fun...but not too much."

Quickly, I grabbed Thalia's hand and pulled us through the crowd until we reached a nice quiet spot not too far from the party.

"Thalia," I said. "I need to tell you something. Bianca and Nico are children of Hades."

"Wait, what?!"

"Yeah, I know. Crazy, right?"

"But that means—"

"We're going to train Nico and bring him close to us, the Big Three trio. Remember what Hestia said, we need to stick close together if we want to survive what will come next. Bianca will be going off with the Hunt, but Nico will be staying with us."

"That sounds dangerous, Percy. If Kronos gets his hands on Nico—"

"He won't," I insisted. "I don't care what I have to do, even if I have to tie Nico on a leash. Kronos is not getting our little cousin. But Thalia, I need you to trust me on something."

"What is it?"

"I am not going to be hanging around with you, Annabeth and Luke too much anymore," I said. "I've learned of something that I need to do more research about. It's confidential and I swore an oath to the River Styx about not talking about it."

Thunder rumbled in the sky proving my point.

"I'll be around for a little bit, but I won't be going back to school. There's a project I need to work on."

Thalia furrowed her eyebrows. She looked straight into my eyes, trying to see if I was faithful to her or not. Then her eyes softened.

"Well, if we're not going to be hanging around much," she said. "Why don't we dance?" She offered her hand.

I smiled and took her hand. "It is my pleasure, Ms. Grace."

Thalia growled. "Don't call me by that name."

"_I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known_," I sang. I still hadn't learned to dance, so I was pretty bad at it, but I made an attempt. We danced on that hill for at least two minutes before the music blaring in the background of the party suddenly changed.

It used to be hip-hop, but slowly, it had turned to something classical, like a slow-dance song. Thalia seemed to notice that difference, too.

We stopped dancing and stared at each other.

"Did you hear that change?" we asked at the same time.

"Yeah, you did too?"

"Okay, we gotta stop saying things at the same time."

"Uggh!"

"You know what?" Thalia said. "Okay, finally we stop saying things at the same time. Getting back to my point, you know what?"

"What?"

"This past week has been horrifying."

"It sure has."

"But the main thing from me...when I was talking to Aphrodite in the desert, I—she said I had a choice," Thalia explained. "I had a choice of true love or joining the Hunters."

"True love?"

"Yeah, weird, right?"

"Not really...but at fourteen true love is a little creepy."

"Actually, I'm still thirteen."

"Same thing."

"Anyways, I was just thinking... When you got pissed a week ago and you hurt my feelings, I thought that you actually hated me, and I kind of felt angry and depressed at the same time. Then you come along the next couple of days being all kind and sweet and nice. I tried to stay mad at you, to give you a little sense of payback, but you really made me conflicted. When I asked you whether I should join the Hunt or not, that was one of the major decisions that I felt I had to make. To be honest, I was disappointed you didn't claim me for yourself. I was actually going to join the Hunt until you got yourself 'killed' again. I thought I'd lost you again, but miraculously, you survived, thanks to Coeus. I think Artemis is talking to Zeus about him right now. Anyways, you made me realize that I don't just _like_ you. I know it sounds weird but—"

I pulled Thalia close to me, just like I did the year before when chariot racing. But this time, I was anticipating my heartbeat to increase. Thalia's breath hitched again, just like last time. Then I leaned down and kissed her, just a simple, regular kiss.

There was no accident this time, no pubic emotions affecting us. There wasn't one trying to prove to the other that they didn't like the other this time. It was plain and simple, just the way it should have been.

After what seemed like forever, we broke apart, out of breath.

"You interrupted me," Thalia said.

"I know."

She slapped me. "That's your punishment." But then she kissed me again. "Curse you for making me fall for you."

"_Wake me up, when September ends_!" I sang.

And laughing, we spent the rest of the solstice dancing and kissing, enjoying some peace...at least temporarily.

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

**I also apologize for any grammatical errors in the chapter above.**

**Don't forget, if you have nothing better to do, check out my other story The Argonauts: Quest for the Golden Fleece**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	20. Heart of Camp

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

**Unlike other authors, I will continue to post even if my review count does not rise. I'm just that nice.**

******Don't forget, if you have nothing better to do, check out my other story The Argonauts: Quest for the Golden Fleece**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Περσεύς 19**

**The Heart of Camp**

Before I left Mount Olympus, Dionysus managed to catch me.

"Perry Johnson," the wine god said. "You've managed to survive that little Council vote, but that doesn't make you any less dangerous. Consider yourself lucky."

"What makes you think that?" I replied.

Dionysus raised an eyebrow. "You have snuck out of camp twice in the past year, yet you are not banished."

"Well, then why _didn't_ you banish me?"

He gave me a sly smile. "Truth be told, you are amusing to annoy, and I want to _be_ annoyed at times. You are useful for one thing. But remember what I told you about Theseus." He gave me an inquisitive look. "I can tell when something is of Aphrodite's doing. You, I realize, have a chance of redemption. Be like the first Perseus and don't hurt your first love, or else I will be after you like a pack of Artemis' wolves."

Then the wine god disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

Compared to Mount Olympus, Manhattan was quiet. Friday before Christmas, but it was early in the morning, and hardly anyone was on Fifth Avenue. Argus, the many-eyed security chief, picked up Annabeth, Grover, Thalia, Luke, Bianca and me at the Empire State Building and ferried us back to camp through a light snowstorm. The Long Island Expressway was almost deserted.

Chiron greeted us at the Big House with hot chocolate and toasted cheese sandwiches. Grover went off with his satyr friends to spread the word about our strange encounter with the magic of Pan. Within an hour, the satyrs were all running around agitated, asking where the nearest espresso bar was.

Annabeth, Luke, Thalia, Bianca and I talked with Chiron and some of the other senior counselors—Silena, Beckendorf, Lee Fletcher, and Dionysus' kids. Even Clarisse from the Ares cabin was there, back from her secretive scouting mission. I knew she must've had a difficult quest, because she didn't even try to pulverize me. She had a new scar on her chin, and her dirty blond hair had been cut short and ragged, like someone had attacked it with a pair of safety scissors.

"I got news," she mumbled uneasily. "_Bad_ news."

"I'll fill you in later," Chiron said with forced cheerfulness. "The important thing is you have prevailed. You saved Luke and Annabeth!"

Annabeth and Luke gave me grateful looks, but I turned away.

I may have been on that quest to save Annabeth and Luke, but the only reason I hadn't died trying to rescue them was because of Coeus, the Titan, and Zoe Nightshade, who'd allowed me to travel with the group on the quest with a single word against. Otherwise, I would have probably died back in Washington D.C.

"Ethan is alive," I said. "My feelings were right."

Everyone fixed their eyes on me. Thalia asked, "How do you know?"

I told her what my dad had said about the _Princess Andromeda_.

Thalia slumped in her chair. "That doesn't sound good at all."

"It does not indeed," Chiron said grimly. His expression was gloomy. Sitting by the fire in his wheelchair, he looked really old. I mean…he _was_ really old, but he usually didn't look it.

"But have two years until the final battle, right?" Luke asked. "Percy turns sixteen in two years. Maybe by then we can think of a way to figure something out."

Bianca looked doubtful. "You saw how Atlas freed himself. Had Percy been eliminated like they called for, Thalia probably would have given in to the Titans. In fact, had it been anyone besides Zoe or Percy, they would have accepted it. To have the power of destroying the gods would be very intriguing to most demigods. As lieutenant of the Hunters, I will scour the country for any notice of other Titans that are freed."

"Bianca is right," Chiron agreed. "This second time, Kronos has gained more allies than the first Titanomachy. I had hoped that the prophecy would not be unveiled for another few hundred years; however, it appears the Second Titan War is upon us. And Kronos' first strike will be here."

Everyone paled, including myself. The thought of Kronos' army attacking camp was devastating.

"Destroy the tools, and the gods will be crippled," the old centaur continued. "As heroes, you are the tools of the gods. We will need to be prepared for an attack on camp by Ethan's forces. Mortal, demigod, monstrous…We must be prepared. Clarisse's news may give us a clue as to how they will attack, but—"

There was a knock on the door, and Nico di Angelo came huffing into the parlor, his cheeks bright red from the cold.

When he spotted Bianca sitting at the spot designated for the counselor for the Artemis cabin, his face broke into a huge smile. He ran up to his sister and hugged her. "Bianca!"

The lieutenant of the Hunters hugged her brother back. "Nico. It's good to see you again."

Then the son of Hades turned to me. "Thank you, Percy! You kept my sister safe."

Bianca looked at me. "Why is he thanking you?" She looked a little hurt, as if I meant as much to Nico as she did.

"I made a promise," I admitted. "I promised him that I would do my best to keep you safe. That was part of the reason why I never told you why I was getting into Talos' foot."

Bianca gave Nico a stern look. "You can't do that again, Nico. Making someone promise something when they cannot control what happens is not safe."

He looked down in shame. "I'm sorry, Bianca. I just couldn't let you die. Even if you go with the Hunters...you'll still come visit. I wanted to see you again, alive."

Then something popped in my head. "Ah, Nico. Um, we found out your godly parent," I said.

The ten-year-old boy turned to me. His eyes shined with hope. "Who is it?"

Bianca gave me a look that said, _I've got this_.

"Here, Nico." Bianca pulled a mini statue out of her pocket, placing it in the boy's hands. "This is our father. Do you recognize him from Mythomagic?"

"Hades," the boy murmured. "Hades."

"Yes, Nico." Bianca bit her lip and turned to me, her eyes asking for help. I agreed with what she was thinking. Nico seemed excited, but he was also stunned, and I had a feeling that he wasn't a big Hades fan.

"Don't worry, Nico," I comforted him. "Hades isn't such a bad god."

"But...where will I sleep? There's no cabin for Hades."

"My father and Hades agreed that you can stay in my cabin until one is built for your father, which I am sure will happen soon."

The boy's stunned face morphed into one of content. "Thank you, Percy. Maybe I can even teach you some Mythomagic."

Bianca tried covering up her laughter, and I glared at her.

I turned to look at the rest of the head counselors. Most of them were staring in shock at the two children of Hades, probably scared that there were two of them now. I realized that now Nico, Thalia and I could be the Big Three trio at camp.

Bianca looked to Chiron and asked for permission to leave the meeting. He nodded his consent, and she led Nico out of the room.

The rest of the meeting was pretty much telling the story of how the quest went. Silena, Beckendorf, Lee, Castor and Pollux (Mr. D's kids) made comments throughout. Clarisse just sat there gloomy-faced. I wondered what she had experienced on her top-secret journey? Whatever it was, I didn't have high hopes about them.

"A very dangerous quest indeed," Chiron summed up. "I am glad that all four of you have returned, though. I have one request to Percy: stop killing your friends."

I blushed. I knew what he meant. I was practically killing my friends by disappearing after I seemed to be dying. The thought of me dying was probably eating them up from the inside. I would have felt the same way if it were the other way around.

Soon after, the counselors were dismissed from the meeting, everyone ready to go out and eat lunch. My own stomach was rumbling, but I had a little chore to take care of first. I waited for everyone to leave the room until only Chiron and Clarisse remained. They shared a look before regarding me, Clarisse with weary, bloodshot eyes, and Chiron with sad, old eyes.

"He should know first, Clarisse," Chiron said suddenly. "It will be best."

"Whatever." Clarisse got up and beckoned me to follow her. Wanting to know what had happened to her, I followed. She brought me to the arena where we usually sword-fought. She picked up a sword from the rack, examined it in her hands, before walking to the center of the arena.

When I looked at her questioningly, she rolled her eyes. "I'll tell you while we fight, so the clashing of swords kind of impairs what people hear. I can't let everyone know yet."

"You know like half the people who are usually here are in the mortal world," I noted. "It's safe."

"Just fight, Jackson."

I shrugged and pulled Riptide out. It was more of a practice round, Clarisse not giving it her all. She whirled around and slashed at me. I parried the strike.

"What happened, Clarisse?" I asked. "Honestly, you look like shit."

"That's what the place does to you," Clarisse said, her voice breaking a little. "It turns you into something you're not."

"What _place_?" I asked.

She kicked my sword arm sending my sword flying, and dropped her sword onto the ground. "The Labyrinth."

Dejected, she trudged over to the side of the arena and plopped to the ground. Meanwhile, my face went white. _The Labyrinth_? That did not sound good at all.

I walked over to the daughter of Ares and sat next to her. "You went into the Labyrinth, by yourself? Why?"

Clarisse shook her head, refusing to answer. There was a look of pain in her eyes that I had never seen before. Something horrible had happened to her down there.

"Clarisse, I'm here to help," I said. "What happened in the Labyrinth?"

"The usual as they said in Theseus' myth," she responded shakily. "Monsters you've never seen before, ghosts haunting you, driving you..._insane_. Just for the record, I'm not insane. I—I just saw things that were too scary to be real."

"Why did you go in the Labyrinth?" was my next question.

Clarisse gave me a cold stare, but the pained look in her eyes was still there. "You have to promise that you won't say anything to anybody about what I am about to tell you until we figure more about it. You can't tell people the way I tell you, even after."

She sounded so frightened, I actually felt pity for my rival. "I promise I won't say anything about it until you deem it is okay to."

She swallowed. "It was the fall and I'd just come home from Camp Half-Blood. I went to school for a few weeks, beating annoying kids up and struggling with my studies. My mother lives in Arizona, in Phoenix, and she got us a private tour of the desert that no one came on, just the two of us. Then I see him. He's just walking through the desert, stumbling and muttering random phrases." She blinked hard.

"Who?"

"Chris Rodriguez," she said.

My blood turned to ice. "He was...but..."

"With the Titans," she nodded. "But we found him in the middle of the desert muttering something about a string. He was talking about the Labyrinth, talking about a maze. He started wildly yelling out, and his eyes were a pale brown, something I've never seen before. He had a seizure, and my mother immediately recognized that he was a half-blood. She took us back to our house and tended to Chris. I came back to camp and warned Chiron about the Labyrinth, and just before he gave me a quest to go and search the Labyrinth for clues as to what Chris was talking about, he interviews Chris. All we get out of it is that Ethan's men are exploring the Labyrinth. Then later, before I left the Labyrinth, I overheard monsters talking about Ariadne's string. That was all I needed to hear and I visited Chris again. His condition is getting worse. My mother is probably going to send him back here soon. I—just..."

Clarisse closed her eyes and slowly shook her head.

I stared at the ground. Long ago, Ethan had told me that they would strike at the heart of camp. A slow, dawning realization hit me.

"They're planning to invade camp using the Labyrinth," I said.

"No shit, Sherlock," Clarisse snorted.

"But you haven't found the entrance to the Labyrinth from camp, have you."

She hesitated. "No, I haven't."

"Where is the closest entrance?"

"I—I don't know. The entrance Chris came out of is in Arizona."

I licked my dry lips. That was when I realized what Clarisse had been talking about last summer. She'd been talking about losing someone, someone that she may have liked more than a friend. Now that she told me about the story of Chris, and the way she sounded so pained and broken. The boy she'd been left by was Chris Rodriguez. Then there was the trip into the Labyrinth itself.

A fiery determination started burning in my eyes. I pulled Clarisse up to her feet. "You know what, Clarisse? I'll help you figure out this problem of yours. And we _will_ cure Chris. I'll make sure of it. This time when you go in, I'll have your back."

Clarisse eyed me warily. "_You_? Have _my_ back?"

"Let's forget about our past differences." I stuck my hand out for her to shake. "We'll figure out this problem quickly, I'll be sure of it. Partners?"

She stood there for a little bit, staring at me. Then she grabbed my hand firmly and shook it. "Partners."

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

**I also apologize for any grammatical errors in the chapter above.**

**Don't forget, if you have nothing better to do, check out my other story The Argonauts: Quest for the Golden Fleece**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	21. Epilogue

**Hello everyone,**

**Thank you all for reading my story. Disclaimer: I don't own any excerpts from Rick Riordan's _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_.**

**A very short epilogue. The next story should be up soon.**

**Don't forget, if you have nothing better to do, check out my other story The Argonauts: Quest for the Golden Fleece**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**

* * *

**Epilogue**

It was so long ago, but he could still feel the after effects of jumping into the Styx.

He'd never experienced such a painful experience in his life. At the time, when he was in the Styx, all he felt like doing while he was submerged in the water was letting go of his mortal line, the one thing that would keep him alive.

But he feared Kronos would find a way to locate him again to punish him for being a coward. So, Ethan gave in and remembered his mortal tie, the one thing that kept him alive. His mortal tie was one of the most horrifying events he'd ever been through.

After he'd arrived at Camp Half-Blood, he stayed there for the majority of his life. He'd left the mortal world behind. The thing was...he had family in the mortal world that he'd loved more than anything in the world. When Chiron suggested that he go back into the mortal world, it had been five years. He was fourteen.

He arrived in Chicago, where his mother and step-sister lived.

No one knew that he had mortal family aside from the old horse, not even Kronos knew. He arrived in Chicago at night, as he'd left New York in the late afternoon. It was winter time, snow and wind blowing at him like crazy. At the time, he had a revelation: "That's why Chicago is called the Windy City."

Ethan's mother grew up in Minnesota, and so did Ethan. He'd never actually been to Chicago before.

When he got the taxi ride from the airport to his mother's house, he founded shadows flickering in the upstairs room.

"Mom!" he shouted. "Brooklyn!"

Then he noticed that the front door was open and unlocked. He ran inside the house. He heard male voices upstairs and he suddenly got a bad feeling. "Mom!" he shouted again.

Ethan ran upstairs to find to burglars strangling his mother in the hallway.

"No!" His face morphed into one of anger and he knocked one guy out with an expert kick. He grabbed that guy's knife and stabbed the other burglar in his stomach. Then, mercilessly, he stabbed the second burglar until his face was unrecognizable.

Ethan turned to his mother, who was lying dead on the floor.

"No, no, no!" Tears staring leaking out of his eyes.

Then he realized that he was surrounded in silence.

"Brooklyn!" he called, panic entering his voice. "Brooklyn!"

He ran into the nearest bedroom and found his half-sister alive, lying on the floor. He would have been relieved had she not been raped and stabbed.

"Brooklyn," he said, dropping to his knees.

The girl was only twelve years old, bleeding out her last few litres of blood. It was everywhere now, a large pool surrounding her.

"Brooklyn," he said, grabbing her hand.

Her eyes quickly lost the panicked movement they were acting as before, her body slowly dying as the blood escaped her body. Within ten seconds, she was still.

Ethan remembered that day clearly, and his half-sister and mother were the ones who kept his mortal line. They were the ones he'd thought of when in the River Styx.

"Are you ready, Ethan?" Kronos hissed.

Oh, how he thought he could die now.

* * *

**Hey everyone,**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who've put this on their favorites, followed and reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _any_ excerpts taken from Rick Riordan's book _Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse._**

**I also apologize for any grammatical errors in the chapter above.**

**Don't forget, if you have nothing better to do, check out my other story The Argonauts: Quest for the Golden Fleece**

**With best regards,  
SharkAttack719**


	22. Next Story

**Just wanted to let you guys know that the next story is up.**

**Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Into the Darkness**


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